Wars are not always revolutionary, but we had one in our past,
Thank the Gods we were victorious, for there were consequences that would last.
The birth of our nation came at that time and would not be denied,
But even with a cause that just, sons went to war and mothers cried.
It seems man cannot live without a conflict now and then,
If only we could truly have peace on earth and good will toward men.
Our nation has been in many conflicts, and each went straight to its heart.
But the Civil War did the most to tear our country apart.
Brother fought against brother, father against son,
And at the end of such a war, can you say either side won?
It seems down through the years, men start to believe their own lies,
'Cause if you look at the results, no war is ever "civilized."
With musket balls and cannon shot the Civil war was fought,
Death and destruction were very real; what lessons could have been taught.
America moved into the 20th Century, and at times it was frantic,
Because war was looming again, this time across the Atlantic.
America became ensnared in World War I, and we hoped it soon would pass,
But this war was fought differently, with slit trenches and mustard gas.
Americans helped fight that war with men that were young and green,
But finally the Armistice was signed on November the 11th, 1918.
This "GREAT WAR" was fought to end all wars, or so the message was penned,
And yet twenty years later, we were at the brink of war again.
Americans were once again in Europe, the fighting was more horrific,
But now our forces would be split; we also fought in the Pacific.
Weapons were more proficient, and many men died,
Mothers wished leaders would have talked more, even harder tried.
Finally, the war was over, and the world again had relative calm,
But to end World War II took an atomic bomb.
It's hard to believe this destruction was the only way to save American lives,
But man for his own selfish end continuously strives.
Veterans were returning home to, "Hi we're glad to see ya."
When in only a couple of years, they were bound for South Korea.
The Communists must be stopped at the 38th, or so we were told,
So, once again young Americans were off to fight in the bitter cold.
The fighting looked as if it were going our way, but we didn't have a clue,
And those that returned from the Reservoir became known as the "Chosen Few."
Many Americans died in that country, fighting the northern faction,
But the conflict was not even called a war, only a "Police Action."
Finally, the fighting ended, and Americans were elated,
But then came the slow, trying task of prisoners to be repatriated.
Many "old" men came home that went to war very young,
Never again wanting to hear of a place called Pan Mun Jon.
I was in that Police Action, but no one ever shot at me,
Just thankful the fighting stopped, and I came home in '53.
Once again, we enjoyed the peace and even reveled in the calm,
But very soon we were shipping out again, this time to Vietnam.
The fighting changed, as each soldier his weapon picks,
The new against the old, Agent Orange and punji sticks.
Men came to serve from the east to the west, from the Gulf to Nome,
But the worst thing of all was the treatment they received back home.
It was an "unpopular war," with voices on either side,
And while many argued, America's best once again bled and died.
Little did those heroes realize when they began to fight and fall,
That one day loved ones would place their hands upon "The Wall."
We began to wonder, "Would we ever return to the norm?"
Now it was in the Middle East, and a war called Desert Storm.
This time there was no jungle, just sand without any mud,
The first war on TV, we felt we were riding on a missile called a "scud."
The enemy was defeated, but their oil wells they set on fire,
The Americans capped them, but where next would they be mired?
There is a saying I have heard, and we should repeat it more,
If those who started the war would fight the war,
"THERE WOULD BE NO WAR!"
Memorial Day, 1995
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