What Some Guys Gave

[JoePa]

After WW2 ended there were a lot of guys coming back to my neighborhood after serving in the armed forces - there was one family that had 3 boys in the service during the war - all 3 came home but one of them was not the same anymore - one day I was working on my Plymouth in the driveway when I heard someone saying - help, help - I went over to the fence and saw a couple guys trying to put Johnny into a straight jacket - he was holding onto a fence and calling for help - every so often he would go off the deep end and the family would have to put him in a mental hospital for shock treatments - his brothers told us that he was in the invasion and was put on a burial detail - he and others would go around picking up dead bodies and load them on trucks - some of the bodies were all black and blown up - sometimes when they got picked up by the legs or arms they would come apart - the poor guy never got over that - war is hell - that's for sure - I often wonder if the young folks have any idea what sacrifices were made so they can be free

[greatwhite]

I think my generation has an understanding of WW2 and WW1. My old man and mother were born after WW2 in 1946. So they obviously knew quite about it. My Grandfathers told me about WW2. I think the generation after me some have an understanding probably like 20% of Kids under thirty. The generation after my kid's probably won't know much. I don't think they even teach anything in school about it anymore.

Both grandfathers joined in 1940 I think. One was wounded twice shot in the back and survived and his toe was shot off. I remember being a tyke and counting his toes and was amazed he only had 9 toes.

[JBen]

A lot of my uncles went. All came home. All bore scars. One uncle, that lost the lower half of an ear, lived the rest of his life with shrapnel in him.

My grandfather and his brother served in www1. The brother didn’t come home. My grandfather lived the rest of his life on 1/2 lung. He passed in 1976.

Can only recall one time, when a couple of them were pretty drunk that they ever talked about it/told a couple stories.

[FishHog]

I often wonder if the young folks have any idea what sacrifices were made so they can be free

When you see the disgusting percentage that simply throw away their right to vote you can be sure they really have no clue what the generations before them went through.

[trimmer21]

When you see the disgusting percentage that simply throw away their right to vote you can be sure they really have no clue what the generations before them went through.

Gen "X" and "Y" millennials were never taught about WW1 and WW2 except for a cursory "Cole's Notes" version of the main talking points. By the time they were in History classes of the late '70's and 80's,the left wing revisionists had completely bastardized the history criteria in the education system. As for Gen "Z",well,I doubt any one of them could tell you anything about Korea or Viet Nam. Actually,that might not be 100% accurate because my grandson's senior class had a trip this past year to eastern Germany and Poland where they visited Bergen-Belsen,Treblinka and Dachau. They all came back dramatically changed from smart mouth little a**holes to young adults with a whole new outlook on life.

[greatwhite]

No I disagree Gen X is from 1965 - 1980 which is my age group and we were taught about WW2 also don't forget the generation before that is the War baby Boomers.

Gen "X" and "Y" millennials were never taught about WW1 and WW2 except for a cursory "Cole's Notes" version of the main talking points. By the time they were in History classes of the late '70's and 80's,the left wing revisionists had completely bastardized the history criteria in the education system. As for Gen "Z",well,I doubt any one of them could tell you anything about Korea or Viet Nam. Actually,that might not be 100% accurate because my grandson's senior class had a trip this past year to eastern Germany and Poland where they visited Bergen-Belsen,Treblinka and Dachau. They all came back dramatically changed from smart mouth little a**holes to young adults with a whole new outlook on life.

[trimmer21]

No I disagree Gen X is from 1965 - 1980 which is my age group and we were taught about WW2 also don't forget the generation before that is the War baby Boomers.

Yep,I shouldn't have included Gen "X". I'm a late "boomer/early Gen "X" myself. I remember Gr.12 history quiet well. One of my teachers was a Korean War vet who was a rabid advocate for freedom and liberty. Hell'they'd have likely run him out of town if it were today. I distinctly remember a local NDP MP attending an assembly espousing leftist politics and Marxist history talking points. Given half a chance,there was no doubt in my mind that my history teacher would have loved nothing better than to gut him like a fish.

[greatwhite]

I have all my Grandfather's war papers when they joined, rank, pay and discharge as well as their war medals, both volunteered.
But I have never been able to get in to see the war diaries to see if they are mentioned.

I know both my Grandfathers had a lot of bad memories. According to both of my parents my Grandfather's would sometimes wake up screaming in the night about the war.

[dean.f]

Gen "X" and "Y" millennials were never taught about WW1 and WW2 except for a cursory "Cole's Notes" version of the main talking points. By the time they were in History classes of the late '70's and 80's,the left wing revisionists had completely bastardized the history criteria in the education system. As for Gen "Z",well,I doubt any one of them could tell you anything about Korea or Viet Nam. Actually,that might not be 100% accurate because my grandson's senior class had a trip this past year to eastern Germany and Poland where they visited Bergen-Belsen,Treblinka and Dachau. They all came back dramatically changed from smart mouth little a**holes to young adults with a whole new outlook on life.

I will agree, being an 80s "millennial" they didn't teach much about WW2 most of compulsory history class was focused on WW1 and only the relevant Canadian contribution. It wasn't until adulthood that I learned the real details of many major world events.

[sawbill]

I have never been able to associate the concept of having the right to vote because Canadians fought in WWII. Nor could I wrap my head around the idea that one was a hero just because they served. Maybe thats more of an American ideal. Probably the majority went overseas because there was little work at home and many did go for the adventure. But I do read everything I can get my hands on when it comes to both world wars, watch the history channel more than anything. I'm sure that with time both those conflicts will disappear and will be little more than a blurp in our schools teachings.