Remember, Remember and Remember
What do we remember?
by Brian Radcliffe
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To encourage us to consider why we remember the people who fought in past wars.
Preparation and materials
- None required.
Assembly
- November is all about remembering. We ‘remember, remember the fifth of November’ without really understanding why we do so. After all, who was Guy Fawkes? What did he have against Parliament? Isn’t Bonfire Night just an excuse to have a party, light up the sky and try to ignore the cold, wet November weather?
- But what about Remembrance Sunday, when gatherings take place around the Cenotaph in London and at war memorials in cities, towns and villages around the country? What do we remember then?
What about the two-minute silence held around the country at 11 a.m. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month? I’m sure our history teachers will have explained that the timing of the silence is to mark the moment when the armistice was signed in 1918 to end the First World War. But what do we remember during those two minutes?
Here are some suggestions. - First, we could remember the futility of war as a way to solve disputes. The First World War was called ‘the war to end all wars’ - but it didn’t. It was only just over 20 years later that the Second World War broke out. Between those wars, many armed conflicts had taken place on a more local scale too.
Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, there have been many more such conflicts. In 2023, it was calculated that there were 59 armed conflicts in progress around the world. These included the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fighting in Israel and Palestine as well as smaller civil wars and invasions across Africa, Asia and South America.
This serves as a strong indication that war never provides a long-term solution to political conflict. As historians will tell us, the seeds of the Second World War were sown in the peace treaty that ended the First World War. It didn’t end war: those who have lost often regroup and rise to fight again, sometimes generations later. - Second, we could remember the cost of war. It is estimated that around 20 million people died during the First World War, and a further 23 million servicepeople were wounded. What a loss.
The numbers for the Second World War are equally staggering: 70-85 million people are estimated to have died, with many more wounded.
And that’s just the human loss. The cost in terms of the destruction of towns and cities during the two wars can be measured in trillions, not billions, of pounds. Last year, the UK government spent £54.2 billion on defence. The aim of this spending is to prevent us being defeated in a future war, and to act as a deterrent to potential enemies. Imagine the difference it would make if that money could instead be spent on the NHS, housing, social care and education. That’s the cost of avoiding war right now. - Third, we could remember the personal loss that affects so many people right now because of war. Let’s remember those who mourn fathers, mothers, children and friends lost in wars around the world. Let’s remember those who have suffered life-changing injuries in recent wars, and those who care for the injured.
Time for reflection
Let’s remember.
Pause to allow time for thought.
After we’ve remembered, though, what do we do with what we’ve learned, what we’ve felt? Do we simply move on and forget? I hope not. We can add our small, but significant voice to those who appeal to governments throughout the world to cease their aggression.
However, it’s even more effective to start with ourselves. There will always be differences, tensions and disagreements between ourselves and those around us: it’s part of human nature. So how do we deal with these situations? Do we lash out verbally or physically? It’s easy to react that way, particularly if we believe that we’re in the right.
There is a branch of government called the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, or ACAS. Its role is to bring together opposing parties in a dispute and help them to resolve their differences. Maybe we all need a person or group to act as our very own ACAS. Maybe we can be that person for our friends.
In the end, it’s better to work towards reconciliation rather than war, however small the issue may be. Reconciliation is not futile, doesn’t cost a lot and saves a lot of pain.
Song/music
You may wish to play a recording of ‘The Last Post’, followed by a minute’s silence. A version is available at: https://youtu.be/ydIKG_RxL2o (1.37 minutes long)
