Independence Day
On Wednesday, shame on us, we weren’t proper Americans and didn’t even dress up in red, white, and blue. However, we four Americans did do something patriotic. The WWII Liberation Museum is near our home, so we toured it, learning about the battles in the area, namely Operation Market Garden, and the liberation of The Netherlands from the Germans by the Allies, which included, of course, Americans.
Then we visited the Canadian War Cemetary. Sobering.
Earlier in the day, Dan had been talking to a Dutchman about American Independence Day. This man proclaimed that, unlike Americans, the Dutch didn’t need an Independence Day, because they are independent already. Of course, he talks of a mindset and the long, glorified Dutch history. However, having toured these WWII sites and others, I would rather have an Independence Day than a Liberation Day. I’m grateful America hasn’t had a war like WWII on its soil: among other more important reasons, I wouldn’t do very well eating tulip soup for a whole winter, and I’m glad my wedding dress wasn’t made out of a castaway parachute.
P.S. And we did all this is the pouring rain, chilled to the bone. I’m getting pretty bitter about this weather.
Then we visited the Canadian War Cemetary. Sobering.
Earlier in the day, Dan had been talking to a Dutchman about American Independence Day. This man proclaimed that, unlike Americans, the Dutch didn’t need an Independence Day, because they are independent already. Of course, he talks of a mindset and the long, glorified Dutch history. However, having toured these WWII sites and others, I would rather have an Independence Day than a Liberation Day. I’m grateful America hasn’t had a war like WWII on its soil: among other more important reasons, I wouldn’t do very well eating tulip soup for a whole winter, and I’m glad my wedding dress wasn’t made out of a castaway parachute.
P.S. And we did all this is the pouring rain, chilled to the bone. I’m getting pretty bitter about this weather.
posted by Beth at 12:06 PM
2 Comments:
The annoying historian says: The Dutchman oughta read up on the wars against the Spanish - the Netherlands had to liberate itself, before it could be free. And the U.S. did have a horrible war on its own soil, only it was 145 years ago, not 62.
Which war was that?? I know, I know, but I'd still argue that the Civil War wasn't like WWII. But not with The Historian.
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