Remembrance Day and Righteous Wars

When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s Remembrance Day was a very solemn occasion. There were still a lot of World War II veterans participating and even some from World War I, as well as veterans from the Korean War (sometimes referred to as a “police action)”.

World War II is probably seen as the most righteous war ever in the minds of the public. World War I, on the other hand, they had little understanding of, besides it being fought for King and Empire. But remember back then the veterans who fought in both World Wars did not fight as Canadians but as British Subjects, Canadian citizenship not being established untill 1947. Empire was important back then, as anyone who went to school in the 1960s in Ontario can attest. As for the Korean War it was fought against the “evil commies”, so again, seen as a just war.

Later came Lester Pearson and peacekeeping, and another group of veterans seen as being on the right side of history.

However in more recent years the righteousness of the wars and conflicts Canada has been involved in has been more ambiguous leaving Remembrance Day seemingly playing a less important role in Canadians’ minds and lives.