Veterans Day...and Two Shells from Hell
At the dawn of the 20th century, the concept of a world-wide war was virtually unthinkable. Countries seemed to be getting along better than ever before. Communication had improved to the point that world news could be known within hours just about anywhere. Peace and human rights groups were making their voices known through the newly created mass-media outlets. The Industrial Age had created new and more convenient products for nearly everyone. Workers were getting more rights in the workplace. It even seemed like women were on the edge of being able to vote! Surely, a bright future of peace and prosperity was just around the corner?
This turned out to be a sad illusion.
At the end of America's Civil War in 1865, our nation took a long hard look at the carnage that had taken so many of our brave young men on both sides. New technological developments of rapid-firing rifles and crank-operated machine guns had changed the nature of warfare on land, while iron-clad steamships and even submarines had made naval warfare just as deadly. It was generally thought that technology was developing to the point that all war would shortly become obsolete.
In the dark regions deep beneath the veneer of peace and prosperity, however, serious powers and philosophies were stirring that would ultimately rip the 20th century into shreds. Was humanity basically bad or good? Was private property good or bad? Were riches sinful or desirable? Who should control those riches? Should religion be exalted or abolished? Which one was best? Was tolerance a virtue or a cancerous weakness to be snuffed out? Was it good to be patriotic, or better to be a citizen of the world? All of these questions, and more, were combined with modern weapons and nation-states into powerful alliances and a great arms-race.
When America faced down Spain in the 1898 Spanish-American War, and the Japanese faced down Russia in the 1902 Russo-Japanese War, the stage was set for the future. Nations began to prepare for war on a scale never thought possible. The newest technology could rule the world, and back then, as today, everybody wanted that technology.
In August, 1914, the pot boiled over. Beginning with the June assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, the proverbial dominoes started to fall, and the world went to war. Although nearly everyone predicted a quick victory, the machine guns, tanks, poison gas, and airplanes created an ugly trench warfare on the land in Europe, while submarines brought untold nightmares to ocean war.
On November 11th, 1918, an armistice was signed. It was hoped that this would end not only the "war to end all wars," but indeed, all wars forever. Some of the remaining shells were disarmed and engraved with the Bible verse from Isaiah about turning swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks and nations not rising up against other nations, nor would they learn war anymore.
A few of these WWI relics survive. The one illustrated in the photo was made into a lamp. The intent, of course, was that these would be the "last shells of the last war"...but they were not, of course.
Unlike live shells that are used today as improvised explosive devices to maim and kill our soldiers, it was determined that this now-empty and harmless former object of war could be used for a better cause: lighting a lamp for Peace on Earth. But... there were more wars, hundreds more, big and little, including World War II just twenty years later.
Along with the WWI shell, another smaller shell casing is also shown in the photo. This one is from the 1980's Bosnian War in the former Yugoslavia. The shell itself is missing from the casing. That is because it was probably used on someone. The engraved casing is inscribed "Sarajevo." In 1984, that city peacefully hosted the Winter Olympics and was a unique place in Europe where people of all faiths could live in peace. From 1992 to 1996, however, the city was under siege, and was a central location for terrible violence from countless shellings and sniper assaults.
Ironically, the First World War also started in Sarajevo. These two artifacts may be separated by some 80 years, but they share the same violent roots. Together, these two items of war virtually begin and close the 20th century.
America was involved in quite a few of the 20th century wars. Some lasted just a few days, others never seemed to stop, and of course we have all the conflicts going on today even in our 21st century. America's particular common denominator for all of these conflicts was, of course, our Armed Forces. These men and women have always stepped up to the plate to defend our country.
Those of us not in uniform have the luxury of debating whether or not this war, or that one, should have been fought. Our service people do not have that luxury. They serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States. When the order goes out, they go and sometimes die, or may be wounded for life, or end up missing somewhere in some foreign land.
Veterans Day, November 11th, is for guys like Doc Unger from my last column, or Pat Ginley from another column, or the guys in Lakewood VFW Post 10646 like Harv Stretel, or yeah, my dad, Robert Rice too. Veterans Day was originally intended to primarily honor living veterans of the various American Armed Forces.
Take a moment, if you will, to drive down to Lakewood Park on Sunday, November 11th, at 11 a.m., for the Veterans Day Commemoration to be held at the "Flag Island," especially if you are a veteran, and particularly if you've never been down there. Don't hesitate.
If you are a vet, let that fact be known in some way. Other Lakewood vets will surround you with support. They'll probably greet you with a handshake, and those two wonderful words: Welcome home.
It is one of the best days in the pulse of this city.
NOTE TO PUBLISHER- VETERANS DAY IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN APOSTROPHE IN IT!
