Remembrance Day: Are the lessons of World Wars I & II still relevant?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Remembrance Day: Are the lessons of World Wars I & II still relevant?

http://www.namitkapoor.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/canada-remembrance-day.jpg

As Remembrance Day approaches this Sunday, it's often a chance for younger generations to reflect on the unimaginable and horrific sacrifices made by young men our age in the fields of France and Belgium in both the 1910's and late 1930's in World War I and World War II.

But there's another question - are the lessons of those wars still relevant to the modern day? Do you feel they are relevant? Critics would argue that WWI and WWII are now old style wars much in the same way the Wars of the Roses were, and that they are no longer relevant to the modern era and that Britain should forget and move on from it's imperial past. Others would argue that the lessons of tyranny, persecution and war are as just relevant today as they were back then and that the same kind of threat will always be there if we let our guard down as individuals and as a nation.

So what do you think? Are the lessons of both of the World Wars still relevant to the modern day or should the world and Britain especially move on?


There are plenty of nifty prizes to be won within this forum. Positive contributions towards official debates will sometimes be rewarded with a month's VIP subscription in a colour of your choice as part of the Top Contributor award. As well as this, reputation will be awarded throughout the debate to those who make valid and constructive posts. Those who make the best contributions within a month win the Debater of the Month award and wins themselves a month's worth of forum VIP and 10 reputation points. Finally, those who create debate topics that generate a lot of buzz and engaging discussion will receive 20 reputation points.

The debate is open to you.

[FlyingJesus]

Surely them being "old style" wars is half the point? The absolute slaughter of millions of young men in ghastly trench battles that gained and lost just a few metres of blood-soaked ground should be remembered (as with much of history) as a lesson never to be repeated. I'm not a fan of the military and I don't think that the World Wars should be glorified as victories for anyone except perhaps rats and lice but gods help us all if anywhere down the line we forget what horrors are inflicted when humanity is stripped away from people

[iGenius]

Lets just first take apart what you say in the opening of this debate;

Critics would argue that WWI and WWII are now old style wars much in the same way the Wars of the Roses were, and that they are [Point 1] no longer relevant to the modern era and that Britain should forget and move on from it's imperial past. Others would argue [Point 2] that the lessons of tyranny, persecution and war are as just relevant today as they were back then and that the [Point 3]same kind of threat will always be there if we let our guard down as individuals and as a nation.

So the first point details that critics would argue the wars are no longer relevant and we should forget and move on. Let us journey back to the days of being kids, and your parents have the long lecture about learning from mistakes you make, and learning from the past. From 1910 (to use your year beginner) over 100 years away from the first world war. That should not mean we forget and move on. The sacrifices made for both WWI and WWII are ones that should be forever remembered. Not things like Luis Suarez biting some guy in the ear, but the men and women that laid down their lives to fight to keep our country together. Yes we shouldn't live in the past and for that reason we have Remembrance Sunday Every year and people pledge support to The Poppy Appeal and similar good causes.

The Second point i absolutely agree with. The wars are a key part in our history and it is something that should be remembered and taught in schools. There are many different lessons that can be taken from the war and only by remembering them and studying them, do we learn from them and maybe, just maybe stop and think before we act.

Point three is also a very good one. There are similar threats out there now all working to similar goals. Not with the same power and presence as Adolf Hitler but with the similar acts of war being carried out continuously. 9/11 was a massive attack and many lost their lives. To this day everyone stops and remembers what happened that day, we may move on but we never forget.

So to answer the lead question Are the lessons of both of the World Wars still relevant to the modern day or should the world and Britain especially move on?. Yes of course the lessons are still very relevant. Of course we need to take our history on board and each day we have the best we can, if not for yourself, but for the men and women that died so that you could have a life. And this final comment, "should the world and Britain especially move on" is absurd, live your life yes, do not sit in misery and sadness, but do stop on one day out of the 365 in a year and pay your respect to the lost hero's of our countries. It's like saying - For those of you that are religious, I personally am not, - Jesus is X years old, the events on Christmas day and Easter sunday happened X years ago, lets move on now and not bother with it any more. The story of Jesus Christ lives on still today and is still enacted at most primary schools up and down the country, so why should we move on from the war and heroes that gave us the opportunity to live?

[[ If anyone is offended by any of my comments I apologise in advance, these are my opinions only. ]]

[Ardemax]

Yeah, don't invade Russia... ever.

[bkps]

Yeah, I mean, they were a long time ago but they still affect how the country is run today. Plus, it's good to know about history and why we're here today and how and all that. If we didn't know history, we'd be pretty much screwed cos all of society would be quite dumb and oblivious but i do think it should changed as what is taught nowadays is only what the government wants you to know and a lot of it has been kind of cut out.

[iGenius]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjRnXLX8RIw

Just to finalise the debate on my part. The above official video for this years Poppy Appeal. I've got to say I stand by the points I made and when you listen to the lyrics of the song (which If i recall some of them have been slightly modified from Regina spektors' version) and they really have good meaning.

We shouldn't forget and we should continue to learn from the lessons of WWI and WWII and all the other wars that have happened before and since.