OT: Reason not to go to War

[KenchiSulla]

I'm not a pacifist... but here goes:

Ysselstein... War's effects
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo7vmp4Of0g

[Footslogger]

I also found this Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXFZqqFXmiE

[Arnhem44]

I had the privilege to visit American, CWGC and German cemeteries a couple of years back and it's interesting to see the subtle differences in the way the war dead are treated by their respective countries

Off the top of my head,
CWGC headstones have the option for the deceased loved ones to put down a line or two at the base of the headstone for that personal touch.
American cemeteries tend to be have more religious overtones, with crosses in place of headstones for the most part.
For me, the German ones were the most threadbare and saddest of the lot, just the name, rank and date of death. And each cross bears up to 4 names, 2 on either side with burials facing each other rather than in the same direction as in the CWGC and US cemeteries.

Another thing I noticed was ages, in the ETO the Allied cemeteries tended towards the younger end of the spectrum with the odd lifer here and there, it was in the Germans ones you could see a lot names in their 30s,40s, even 50s. A result of Volkssturm and a country that was fighting for it's life in the later stages of the war?

My respects to Sir Fabian Ware, he forever changed the way war dead are commemorated.

[pmelheck1]

I don't think anyone here would be opposed to peace in the slightest. There is certainly no need to apologize for wanting peace. Many of us here are current, former or retired warriors and we know how awful war is. I find the death and destruction vile beyond words but I also find the heights of mans kindness, bravery and innovation just beyond fascinating. Men can rise to highs and fall to lows in war that are literally inconceivable on the drive to work or filling out that report for the boss. The closest thing that comes is our first responder folks and it seems a lot of them come from the military. Pacifism is not bad at all but to me and some others some things are worth fighting and if necessary dying for. Just a short thought on not being a pacifist, sometimes in my contact with folks with no military experience they sometimes have a hard time understanding why we stand on the front line and do what we do.