To many people in America, Memorial Day is just a three day weekend or a day that has no meaning to them. There are formalities such as the moment of silence within schools, and many people find this moment irrelevant to them and a time to fool around. It is best to understand that this moment is more than a time of silence, it is a time of respect and thanks for those who fought. Countless opportunities and rights were gained while heaps of soldiers’ lives were lost. Even though war is a dreadful event, we should honor those who fought in them and those who have done service to the military.
Memorial Day didn’t begin as a national holiday, but rather as Decoration Day after the Civil War in the 1860s. It was only celebrated in some towns and cities across the North. It was to honor those who fought and died in the Civil War by decorating their graves with flowers and flags. Of course, the South, being sore losers, did not want to celebrate the event on the same day as the North and often did it on a separate day. In 1971, Decoration Day became the national holiday known as Memorial Day where it honored every person who died while serving in the U.S. military. The holiday was decided to be on the last Monday of May every year. There are large parades, often incorporating military personnel and veterans, in cities across the United States, the largest ones are often held in Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C.. There are also many variants of this holiday held in other countries, some specifically for the soldiers who fought and others to honor the dead.
Elvis Tran
A Day For Remembrance
Last veteran from his WWII USSR battle group marching alone in a parade
Photo by Alexander Petrosyan