"IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY."

"IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY." (Frazer Chronicle)

I watched with much interest a Military History channel presentation the other night that was a 3 part documentary on the Nazi SS and, although I was never involved with any part of that history of our world, I non-the-less felt revulsion, anger, a sense of how unbelievable the entire period of world history during the 1930's and 1940's was. It was like a perfect storm during the period, a catalyst, "Adolph Hitler" and all the parts surrounding him that were necessary to form what became World War II.

The gathering storm clouds of the 2rd. World War begin at the end of World War I, in the early summer of 1919, when the treaty of Versailles was pushed on Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria by the allied forces of Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia and the United States. The estimated loss of life during the entirety of hostilities was 750,000 by Britain, France, more than a million, Belgium, 50,000, Italy, 600,000, Russia, more than 1.7 million and the United States, 116,000.

Germany lost more than 2,000,000, Austria-Hungary, 1.2 million, Turkey 325,000 and Bulgaria 100,000. Distrust, hatred and revenge were on the minds of almost every European. For the United States, the war effort had lasted less than 2 years, however, for the European countries; the war had surged for well over 5 years and had galvanized feelings towards the belligerents.

The Versailles Treaty was signed on June 28th. 1919 between the parties, in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, and proved a crushing economic blow to the defeated nations, especially Germany. Land was taken, 8 different territories, military size were reduced to 100,000 men, there was to be no air force, nor armament. The consequences of such an unfair and poorly orchestrated treaty should have been obvious to all concerned, but politics, a revenge factor and the possible poor health of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson clouded those in attendance.

There was more than just the Treaty of Versailles that was factored into the official end of World War I. Austria signed the Treaty of Saint Germain, Hungary, the Treaty of Trainon, Bulgaria, the Treaty of Neuilly, and Turkey, or the Turkish Empire, the Treaty of Sevres. Each treaty dealt with war reparations, the exchange of financial considerations and differing sizes of military resources.

At the end of the day, when everything was signed, sealed and delivered, the French delegate, Georges Clemenceau, walked out of the hall and was heard to remark that "it is a beautiful day." The biggest lesson of World War I had not yet been learned by the warring nations, and would take another world wide conflict to graphically illustrate a rather cumbersome reality of war, "you break it, you buy it."

Defeated countries are in no position to repair the devastation that war brings, to repair their infrastructure, to rebuild their industry, to re-employ their populous, to care for the people, and least of all, to pay reparation. Wars of the 20th century were unlike any others in the history of mankind, they were messy, the horrific carnage was unlike any other period, and relative new rules would be needed.

We now find ourselves in the 21st. century, making the same simple minded mistakes of the past. The amount of money that has been spent and the number of dead that has resulted is really unacceptable, or should be. Republican, Democrat, Green Party, Libertarian or whatever, you all believe in war, war that is fueled by a greed for financial gain through accusation.

The history lesson serves nothing more then to show how entrenched we are as a people, all people, white, black, yellow, red or henna color. We want to be at the top of the food chain and are basically willing to do whatever it takes to get there and to remain there.

The United States is now leaving Iraq by the end of this month, December 31st. 2011, more than 8 years after the first bomb was dropped, and the first civilian was killed. Iraq was, and is a country that is, compared to the United States, a backward third world banana empire that was ran by a pint sized dictator who was a clown.

We are leaving after more than 5000 deaths, trillions of dollars spent, a shot to our reputation that may never be repaired, but with a "footprint" in an oil rich country, the biggest embassy on the face of the planet and countless thousands of private contractors. Iraq.....what shape is Iraq in.....worse than when we arrived on that long ago March night in 2003. At least the people of Iraq knew what their dictator was, what he offered and what he took.

At least we are leaving without the burden of some illicit, ill conceived treaty that requires reparation, although we will be paying long after most that read this are dead. War is hell, and practiced only by those that remain behind the front lines.....like across the ocean. Yes, "it is a beautiful day."