Saturday, June 6, 2009

June 6 1944

These guys went a long way towards defining Honor for the rest of us...

6 comments:

Bluebear Jeff said...

Amen.


-- Jeff

FIXED BAYONET METAL SOLDIERS said...

Not really mate. I the Secoind World war most people did't wanna be in the army . The Norman dy landings were a bloodbath in some places and the authorities knew they would be. Thus young soldiers with the imagination of the young were thrust into a massacre situation. These were the views on a BBC programme called WAr Walks. No mention of glory though. Read that poem by Owen as in Wilfred.

littlejohn said...

You are quite right, and I was careful to not use the word "glory" particularly in the context of real war where the word is always misplaced.

However, I do feel a sense of "honor" (the word I did use) towards what those men did even if they were unwilling or unwitting victims of some higher level decisions. As those few Capra photographs from that morning attest, it must have been horrific and anyone who was there under whatever circumstances gets my respect.

FIXED BAYONET METAL SOLDIERS said...

Yeah maybe respect is the right word. But honour supposes people actually willing to be massacred and that means no one.I think we all ought to read the Owen poem now and then.
"To Children ardent for some desperate glory
The Old Lie :Dulce et decorum est
Pro Patria Mori"

littlejohn said...

Yes, what you say is true..and I did hesitate to put the picture up because of the implication that I might in any way glamorize the reality. And the Owen poem has always been one to remind of that reality.

FIXED BAYONET METAL SOLDIERS said...

Yes I thought it was a nice touch bu I think theres far too much of this honour and glory stuff within the hobby I'm not accusing you of that but just a little point made. The blogs wonderful.