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Coming from a small nation which was the only country participating in the last world war with border with Russia which could come out of the war keeping full Independence and western capitalistic system, having veterans which I greatly respect and those who have lost their lives in the line duty in my own family and among closest friends, I feel it is important to correct the wrong information about what the poppy flowers have to do with 11th of November and why the poppy yesterday replaced the forums logo.
Let's start with words from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs:
(Veterans Day Frequently Asked Questions - Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs)The wearing of poppies in honor of America's war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day, not Veterans Day. The practice of wearing of poppies takes its origin from the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 by John McCrae. For information on how to obtain poppies for use on Memorial Day, contact a veterans service organization, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) or The American Legion, as a number of veterans organizations distribute poppies annually on Memorial Day. You can find veterans groups in the Veterans Service Organization link on VA's Veterans Day web page. Veterans groups in your area can be found in your local phone book. Look in the yellow pages under "Veterans and Military Organizations" or a similar heading.
The 11th of November is in greater parts of the world The Remembrance Day, also called as The Armistice Day and The Poppy Day, celebrated around the world especially in British Commonwealth and Europe and has nothing to do with U.S. Veterans Day. The Remembrance Day is to commemorate those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The American Veterans Day is celebrated the same day but it is not the same thing, the U.S has selected not to commemorate the fallen on the same day than the rest of the world but does it instead on the last Monday of May, The Memorial Day.
The poppy symbol is not to symbolize the U.S. Veterans Day as the quote above from VA clearly tells. The poppies symbolize the day we remember those who gave their lives defending their countries, the day America has chosen to have at different time than the rest of the world. The poppies were yesterday to remember those fallen, not for those who have served. In my opinion this difference is important to remember and shouldn't be ignored.
Kari
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New #126
To add definitive clarity to what Kari posted, I add the poppy every year as is done on the majority of other UK sites for Remembrance/Armistice day, it does tie in nicely with US veterans day which is a bonus but not the primary reason for it being there.
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New #127
You are correct Kari about the official wearing of the poppy in this country.
The reason I posted in the fashion I did is because many wear the poppy on Veterans Day also just to show they honor are living and dead veterans. Some towns even honor the fallen Police and Fireman that gave their lives to save others. Veterans on Veterans Day believe me they honor the dead left behind as they do on Memorial Day.
Is it the official position of the U.S. government, no.
It is done different in different locations.
Some think it just a day they can go to the store for Veterans Day Sales.
Memorial day to many in this country is just a day to have a cook out and catch the Memorial Day sales. I'm not kidding.
In this Sailors heart Veterans Day and Memorial Day are both to include honoring my fallen friends whether it is official or not. I personally think of the poppy flower on Veterans and Memorial Day.
I have 4 special days in my life those being;
Christ mas
Easter
Memorial Day
Veterans Day
We use to years ago call it Armistice Day but it was changed by Congress I believe, to Veterans Day.
I could Google that information but I not going to because it doesn't matter to me.
It's Veterans Day to honor are Veterans living and dead to me.
Remember on this side of the pond we are a mixed breed of people.
Some go to the grave sites to honor their dead veterans on Veterans Day and some groups of people have protest against the dead veterans while they are being buried.
Looking at LadyPink's post #118 makes me think that England really honors 11-11-11 in a big fashion.Last edited by Layback Bear; 12 Nov 2014 at 06:46.
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New #128
You are right there, the whole country hold special services on that date, on television there is always a program on the Sunday nearest to the 11th November attended by the Royal Family.
The date symbolises the ending of the first world war, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
It has now though come to mean remembering all the fallen from the great wars.
The poppy is the flower that grew on what were called the fields of blood in Flanders were so many of our young men died in the first war. This year was remembered as well for being a hundred years since the start of that war and also our troops leaving Afghanistan.
No doubt I'll be corrected if I have anything wrong, oh and the poppy's around the Tower of London show 1 poppy for every man who died in the war, I think it's over 80 thousand.
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New #129
Joan this might give some idea of losses.
For some countries they are staggering.
The Great War . Resources . WWI Casualties and Deaths | PBS
I think the chart show why different people and countries have their special days to show honor for those that have given.
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