Since the American Civil War, the United States observes Memorial Day at the end of May. It’s a day to honor our fallen soldiers. But America isn’t the only country to make remembrance a holiday.
Other Countries
Russians remember the millions who lost their lives in World War II with Victory Day on May 9th. It’s called V-E Day in Europe and commemorates the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies.
Israel celebrates a Memorial Day called Yom Hazikaron on the fourth of the Hebrew month of Iyar for remembering fallen soldiers and those killed in political violence and acts of terror.
Anzac Day, which commemorates the lives lost in the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I, is an Australian and New Zealand holiday on the 25th of April.
The United Kingdom holds ceremonies remembering fallen British soldiers in all conflicts since World War I on November 11.
On June 6, South Koreans keep Memorial Day as a day to honor the servicemen and civilians who have died for their country.
After the Gallipoli Campaign, Turkey has Martyrs’ Day on March 18. Today, it honors all Turks who have died for their country.
It’s called Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Nigeria. As part of the commonwealth, they once observed this day on November 11th. Now, it’s on January 15th to commemorate the end of their civil war.
National Unity and Armed Forces Day is the Italian day of remembrance held on November 4th, the day Austria-Hungary surrendered to the Italians in 1918.
It’s called Remembrance Day in Canada and is a national holiday on November 11th each year.
No matter who you are, where you’re from, we all should remember the people who have died in the many conflicts that have plagued our planet. For previous Memorial Days,
Ways of Remembering
There are many ways to observe a day of rememberance. I’ve written about a museum in my area. The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri is the only American museum dedicated solely to preserving objects from The Great War, which lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. It’s a fascinating place to visit, with glimpses into the personal lives of some men and women who served in that war and lots of displays that tell the story of that war.
In 2012, I wrote about the Veterans History Project, which is part of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center. A project I pray will continue to collect the stories of the brave men and women who’ve served our country. At the time I wrote that article, I also heard of an Australian project that did something similar.
Remembering a few of the more than 3 million American women in Military Service was the theme of my Memorial Day post in 2018. In that article I mentioned the Military Women’s Memorial which opened in 1997. If your family’s history includes a woman who served, you may want to visit that memorial.
People to Remember
I’ve written about many women who served their country. Margaret Corbin followed her husband, who fought to defend Fort Washington during the American Civil War. When her husband was killed during the battle, she took over firing his cannon. Enemy fire severely injured her.
Agnes Humbert was a Parisian who joined the French resistance during World War II. Her story of resistance and surviving a concentration camp gave me inspirations while I wrote My Soul to Keep.
Mama Josie and the Angels of Bataan were the subjects of an article I wrote in 2020. Mama Josie had been an Army nurse for twenty-two years before World War II started. She was a lieutenant and second-in-command at Stenberg General Hospital in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, the night the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Less than nine hours later, the Japanese bombed the Philippines. Her dedication to her nurses and her patients helped her and everyone of her 77 nurses survive almost a year as a POW in the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila.
As I mentioned in my 2021 article on Women Who Made the Final Sacrifice, the practice of honoring those who fell in battle dates back to ancient Greeks and Romans. I had a choice and chose not to enter the armed services. That makes me respect the men and women who make that choice (and all those who didn’t have a choice) all the more. Honoring those who served, and especially those who died while performing that service, is a privilege.
Have you served your country? Did a family member?
If neither of those applies, I’d love to hear any suggestions you have for women of history to write about in future articles.
Image Credits
Featured Image by Keturah Moller from Pixabay
Second Image by TwilightLiliez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Final Image by US Army, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons