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| Memorial Chapel at Muse-Argonn American Cemetery in France. |
2215 Local Time
VIlseck, Germany
Merry Christmas!
I am very happy to be home in Germany with my family. We enjoyed a quiet but fun Christmas Day together. After 5 days away doing some fantastic historical research and soul searching, I can say it was nice to be home with my family and sleep in my own bed. As much as I enjoyed exploring, this was a very emotional trip. It was informative and even relaxing spending hours on the road, but it was also emotionally exhausting.
WAR JUNKIES
I was not the only person on such a pilgrimage this last week. In fact several times I ran into the same people at various sites along the way. People from all over the world descend on Northern Europe to explore the World Wars. I am torn about this. I am glad that people are taking an interest in the World Wars of the 20th Century. At the same time sometimes I wonder if their motives are true. Am I a "war junkie?" I don't think so. I am looking for more than death and destruction of war.
When I see a group of school kids I understand that they are there because most likely they have no other choice. When I see a group of people there with cameras and notebooks such as myself taking notes and photos to document a place and a story, I know they are there to learn. However more than once I saw people this week in military cemeteries or memorials joking about the death and destruction around them. At one point in Foy, near Bastogne I witnessed American tourists jokingly doing "Nazi salutes" and mocking the events that took place in that area. Such jokes and bullshit is against the law in Germany. It's not a joke here, and it shouldn't be there either. It's not funny. Approximately 40 million people died over two wars spanning ten years. That is not something to make jokes about.
I am torn because I want people to understand and appreciate the history around them. I never want a tourist to be turned off to the idea of learning. Also nothing makes me happier than seeing kids at play near a war memorial. It reminds me of the freedoms and ideals that were fought for in these wars. I just cant help but be disappointed by the large number of "junkies" that go out looking for the death and destruction without looking for the human scale stories that these wars contain. I know they are the exception and not the rule. This makes me feel a little more comfortable.
For my friends in Europe, I encourage you to explore the war history around you. It is the singular reason that you live here right now. It is relevant, important, and a continually evolving, living history. If you ever need a buddy who has been there, seen it, and understands how to manage such an experience, give me a shout. This one week battlefield tour was just the start for me. I have only scratched the surface of what the battlefields of Europe have to offer. From Flanders and Bastogne, Belgium to Verdun and Somme France, I experienced some history and destruction that was absolutely horrific. I also saw the beauty of humanity and the belief that good always triumphs over evil. I learned some human scale stories that give me hope for the future. I met people that lived through World War II. People who saw with their own eyes the horrors of war, and the eternal hope for peace that carried them through the horrors of war to the relative peace of today.
I am in the business of war. When wars wage, I get to do my job. Nothing would make me happier than to be out of a job because there are no more wars to fight. The reality is that this will never happen. There will always be evil in this world, and therefore a need for people to bring justice upon the deserving. As was the motto at my old unit, B Co 1/23 Infantry, I believe in "Protect the Innocent; Punish the Deserving." It is my sincere believe that the allied forces of World War I and World War II did this. I also hope that I brought to the few people that will read this, a small level of understanding and appreciation of those sacrifices.
Post Script
My mission is not yet complete. I am going to continue writing about my experiences in this blog space and sharing many of the stories that I learned. If you are still reading this blog then I believe you are interested in learning more. I will share all of my photos on Facebook over the coming week with captions and descriptions on every single photo. If you are not friends with my on Facebook and want to access the photos, please contact me through this blog.
-Chris Monroe
25 December, 2016
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| In this nondescript school building in Reims, France, the European Theater of World War Ended. |
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