It's amazing how many WW2-remembrance monuments you see in the Ardennes. And that is a good thing, because a monument is a reminder. So here's a few from my last holiday there. Feel free to use this topic for pictures of other monuments, that's what I made it for. This first one is from Wiltz (Luxembourg). "To the 28th US infantry division which liberated Wiltz on sept. 10th 1944 and gallantly defended our soil during the 'Battle of the Bulge' "
Another, from the village of Grand Sart near Vielsalm, which was the site for a major American attack on january 7th 1945: "To our friends, the brave men of 508th PIR of the 82nd AB div. May our friendship be everlasting between the United States and Belgium. From the people of the Ardennes. To our liberators, 1944-1994, Thank You."
And finally, one from the tiny village of Saint-Jaques, again near Trois Ponts: "The Belgian Ardennes to their liberators. (in French) Neither the Nazi hordes nor the cold of winter of 1944-1945 could daunt their courage. Remember them."
You're welcome! In the Ardennes you're just about tripping over monuments (which I don't mind at all!). In the city of Wiltz they have a whole square set up with flower beds, grass fields, a 88mm gun barrel and a plaque with Eisenhower's face, and for what? "General Eisenhower stayed here, 18-19 september 1944"! :lol:
post subject This is a photograph of the monument to the "Queens Bays" on Coriano Ridge in Italy.It was near this point that on the 21st.September 1944, that the Bays lost 34 out of 52 tanks in an action that is known in British Armoured Corps as "The Second Balaclava" or "The Armoured Balaclava".The two gentlemen shaking hands are Sgt.Don Burley DCM. a survivor of that day, and the German General in charge of the Panzer Grenadiers that opposed them.Photo taken in 1994.
Re: post subject Says a lot about both men that they can put the past behind them like that. One wonders how many of us could and/or would forgive someone who had tried their best to kill us?
Re: post subject You will be suprised, the big difference is how they try to do it. I can fully understand why the old soldiers from the asian war dislike the Japanese. However, from my own experiences in the 1991 gulf war (not that I did a lot being a communicator) but we did recieve a few incomming scuds. Personally I have no malice against them, they were soldierslike me doing their job. Act like a soldier and you will be treated like a serviceman (by other servicemen).
I think that the enemy in wartime is not a person, but a nameless group or a regimental number that tries to kill you. You'd rarely get the time to study a face. So when, sixty years later, you meet a man who has opposed you, but is now just one man, the difference between personality and inpersonality is so great that you could forgive the man. Can you follow this?
Again roel it depends on the actions of the man in the first place, I could forgive a man who has shot a friend in war time, but probably not someone who has enjoyed torturing him first.
From what I have read on this subject (and what veterans have told me) it would seem that it is more to do with the fact that the other side is just like you - a soldier doing his job. It has been said that the lower ranks tend to have more affection for the enemy lower ranks than for their own High Command... Obviously, as GP has stated, when your enemy oversteps the bounds (like the Japanese, as an example) then such reconcilliation is less likely. I remember one airshow at Duxford - various jeep-loads of WW2 fighter aces paraded past the crowds, waving & smiling, and receiving much applause. The biggest applause was the car in which sat an American, a Brit and a German, all obviously friends now. Amazing to see how a British crowd can give such a reception to a man who did very well at killing our pilots. Very positive. Very encouraging.
What I meant was tat when you meet an enemy-of-old in person, so long after the hostilities, it is so much more obvious that he is and was just like you that you could forgive him. So we mean the same thing here, I believe.
