Understanding Veterans Day and it genesis from WWI is an exploration of relationships; from which we can learn several lessons
Understand the reasons behind the decisions people make. The United States didn’t enter WWI until 1917 as there was a large peace movement taking place in America. I personally believe that one of the drivers for this was because as late as 1910, about nine percent of the American population had been born in Germany or was of German parentage, as 2.3 Million Germans immigrated between 1881 to 1910. Many Americans didn’t want to be in the War because they had immediate family in Germany. I think of my grandfather, Samuel Schakat who came to America in 1907 from Germany at the age of 14. So in 1914 when the war broke out, he would be been 21 and thinking if we go to war, he could end up fighting against family members and friends still in Germany. So when someone doesn’t want to go on a certain hike, do personal activities or things at work; take time to meet with them one on one to understand the deep reason(s) behind their decisions
Know the cost of your alliances, friendships, and business partnerships. WWI started as a dispute between two countries (Austria-Hungary and Serbia) over the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. It grew to a war with 15 countries and over 16 million deaths because of all the alliances that were made. In your hiking, do you know where the line is for when you will turn back from a hike while your friends want to keep going? How far will you take friendships in your personal life? Do you know when you will say NO to activities they want to do? What lines have you drawn at work for things you may be asked to do?
Push for closure in everything you do. The Armistice on November 11th, 1918, was only the cease fire. The war itself didn’t end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28th, 1919 formally ending World War 1. This compares to the Korean War, where an armistice was signed in 1953, but no peace treaty was ever signed. Thus the problems we are still seeing with North Korea 64 years after the armistice was signed because one could say we are technically still at war with them. What things do you need to bring to closure in your life? Are there hiking trails, projects, training, etc., that you need to finish, so you can quit wasting time thinking about them
Be gracious in your victories. The Treaty of Versailles placed a heavy burden on Germany to repay other countries for the cost of WWI. This caused resentment and national pride to rise in Germany, setting the stage for Adolf Hitler and the beginning of WWII; verses the Marshall Plan after WWII, which helped rebuild Germany. How do you respond to others in your victories? Do you have a prideful attitude or are you gracious and humble in your successes
Be nice to your relatives. The Kings of England, Germany and Russia were all cousins; being grandsons of Britain’s Queen Victoria. [Queen Victoria was called the “Grandmother of Europe as many of her children and grandchildren married into the royal families of most of Europe.] So you could say that WWI was a family feud that got out of control. Have there been events in your hiking, personal, and work life that have strained relationships around you? What has been the physical, emotional, and financial cost of damaged relationships? What will you do to start the healing process?
Al Andersen 