Memorial Day

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Has Memorial Day become just another Monday holiday?

Did you know this day started after the Civil War?

When I was a younger man, I saw a movie that was set in 1888, and one of the main characters always referred to the conflict as the war between the states. When asked why he didn't call it the Civil War, he replied that there was nothing civil about war.

The most often quoted number of deaths in the US Civil War is between 600,000 and 700,000. The death toll in this single war equals the total US deaths in all other wars combined. (WWI US deaths - 116,000, WWII US deaths - 400,000, American Revolutionary War - 25,000, Viet Nam - 58,000, Korea - 37,000). At the time of the war between the states the US had only fought the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. I can't even begin to imagine the impact so many deaths had on the US society and culture.

I hate reducing war deaths to numbers, each life lost is some one's son or daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, brother, or sister. The numbers are really not the way to record the loss from a war. Each life is sacred and a lost potential. It is numbing to think of the number of deaths.

Worldwide deaths from WWI and WWII are 15,000,000 and 55,000,000 respectively. Adding the Russian Civil war (9,000,000) and the reign of Stalin terror (20,000,000) the death toll from just these four 20th Century events approaches 100,000,000 people. Include the Chinese revolution, Asian conflicts, and African conflicts the total death toll reaches close to 200,000,000. Two hundred million deaths in 100 years.

The 20th Century has to be one of the deadliest centuries in recorded human history. Be thankful that you lived through all the carnage.

Take time this weekend to give thanks for your life and remember those that have given their lives for your safety and freedom.
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