On November 11, 1918, the Armistice that ended World War I was signed.  One year later, President Wilson proclaimed that “Armistice Day” be celebrated on November 11th in the United States as a way to commemorate the sacrifice made by hundreds of thousands of American servicemen and women who served during World War I.  On that day, President Wilson said, “’To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.’”  It was only seven years later that Congress passed a resolution officially recognizing November 11th as Armistice Day.

Over the next several decades, Armistice Day was celebrated as a day to honor those who served in World War I.  Upon its conclusion, many referred to World War I as “The Great War,” believing that as horrific as it was, there was no chance that the world would see such a monumental conflict again.  As the United States found itself in the throes of World War II, it became evident that “The Great War” was soon to be undermined by the shocking events and total devastation of World War II.  Americans began to understand the importance of honoring all veterans, not just those who served in World War I.

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By 1775, the tenuous relationship between the British and the American colonies was at a breaking point.  The colonists were enraged by what they saw as unfair treatment at the hands of the British government.  The British boasted the most superior naval force in the world, and the colonists faced the daunting challenge of asserting American independence without a centralized naval fighting force.  On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, voted to outfit two seafaring vessels.  The vessels were to be armed with ten carriage guns, swivel guns and a total crew of just fewer than two hundred men; their mission would be to intercept British naval ships carrying supplies and munitions to the British army in America.  These two ships would be the first of the United States Navy.

The debate over establishing the United States Navy was long and arduous.  Many felt that the endeavor was a fruitless waste of funds; they believed that the British Navy was far too superior for the United States to even compete.  Others, including John Adams of Massachusetts, were fervent supporters of the development of an American naval force.  It was not until the Congress received intelligence that two British ships were on their way from England to Quebec, unarmed and without a protection convoy that the pro-naval advocates began to gain support.  The vulnerability of the two British ships seemed too good an opportunity to allow pass.  Within only a few days of receiving the information, the Congress authorized the outfitting of the two American vessels.

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America has been accused by many of being insensitive to the importance of cultures.  Eugene Burdick and William Lederer’s1958 book The Ugly American argued that America was losing the struggle against Communism in Southeast Asia in large part due to its inability and /or unwillingness to understand the local cultures there.  There clearly was a disconnect between Burdick’s and Lederer’s thesis at the time and U.S. foreign policy as evidenced by our involvement in Vietnam.  Pockets of the population remain today that reinforce the notion of the “ugly  American” but America’s colleges and universities have responded by increasing the number of study abroad programs available to students.  While culture is a topic that is broader than a blog post or two, I think it’s important to review how we’ve looked at understanding cultures at our institution.

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