Memorial Day
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, commemorates all men and women who have died while in military service for the United States.
On its Web site, AMVETS posted a stirring Memorial Day message that begins with this passage (click here for the rest of the message)---
Memorial Day 2010
On this Memorial Day—one of our nation’s most revered holidays—we all pause to reflect upon the principles that have made our nation great. We pause to remember the true cost of freedom and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect it. The brave men and women we honor today selflessly gave of themselves to defend a way of life that we so cherish: The rights of all people to determine our own futures, free of oppression and fear. It is because of these everyday heroes that we celebrate Memorial Day, commemorating the selflessness and sacrifice of those upon whose very lives rests the foundation of freedom.
On the Veterans For Peace Web site, VFP Board President Mike Ferner says:
This Memorial Day as we pause to remember the U.S. service members who have died during the nation's wars, we need to think for another moment of the astounding number of civilians who have perished in those wars as well.
Here are the numbers, available on a commemorative 2010 Memorial Day Bookmark VFP has issued to help remind us of the true costs of war.
|
War |
U.S. Military Deaths |
Civilian Deaths |
|
Revolutionary |
25,174 |
(unavailable) |
|
1812 |
20,000 |
(unavailable) |
|
Civil War |
620,000 |
50,000 |
|
WWI |
116,516 |
6,458,886 |
|
WWII |
405,399 |
36,372,900* |
|
Korean |
54,246 |
1,847,240 |
|
Vietnam |
58,177 |
2,000,000** |
|
Iraq |
4,254 |
1,366,350 |
|
Afghanistan |
1,036 |
32,969 |
|
TOTAL |
1,304,802 |
48,128,345 |
|
* Number includes the 9,000,000 that died in the Nazi concentration camps. ** The Vietnamese government in 1995 estimated that 2,000,000 Vietnamese civilians on both sides died in the war. |
||
---Click here for the rest of Mike Ferner’s statement.
