The following are the various links within The American Wars Conglomerate.

The Web address is http://www.theamericanwars.org.
You can get to the blog from the Web site.
The social network is http://theamericanwars.ning.com/
Facebook group is http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=9493135179.
YouTube Channel is http://www.youtube.com/user/theamericanwars.
Photo album is http://picasaweb.google.com/TheAmericanWars.
Skype name is theamericanwars.
Twitter name is theamericanwars.
Library Thing is http://www.librarything.com/catalog/theamericanwars.
There’s just an account for Blog Talk Radio, so not really anything there, but that url is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/user/home.aspx. I’m not sure if this will actually pull up my account or not, but that’s what’s listed.

In the fall of 1999, I took Historiography and Historical Methods, which is essentially a writing for history class. This was a required class for getting a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in History. We were required to write a paper on a topic of history of our choosing. I decided on the Korean War (won’t go into all the details, but suffice it to say, I chose this because of how little I knew and in the process, I learned why I knew so little). One of my classmates gave me a more specific focus which was to write about Pork Chop Hill. He told me I would be able to find a lot of information about it (he forgot that I was a civilian and wouldn’t know to look for information about Hill number… ).I searched for information online, but found mostly site about either the book (which is very good and I highly recommend so long as there are people around, you read in day light with lights on) or the movie. Because I found so little Online about Pork Chop Hill and to help me stay focused on my paper, I created The American Wars Web site. Its purpose was to provide information to researchers and to honor those who have served and who are serving in the United States Military. This is still the purpose. As the Web site has moved locations several times over the years, it is difficult to say for certain when it was first placed online. However, email messages I sent out in the fall of 1999 suggests that it may have been up and running as early as either September or October. Needless to say, this year will be the 10th birthday/anniversary of The American Wars.

Over the years, I have had several message boards up and running for The American Wars. These boards held a few different purposes including to provide a place for researchers, students, and history buffs to come together and discuss the wars in which America has fought and to provide a place where those in the military can connect with civilians (this last one has never happened thus far).

The American Wars conglomerate (as I like to call it), includes the following: a Web site, a facebook group, an online photo album, a YouTube channel, a twitter account, a Skype account, a social network, a Blog Talk Radio account, an email account, a blog, and a Library Thing account (I may have left something out). The dream is to one day create an archives and museum. Since I have worked as a volunteer for Pioneer Day at the Natchez Trace Visitor’s Center in Tupelo, MS, I am considering the idea of having living history programs as part of this museum or to have the museum be a living history museum.

Overall, my goal is to educate students (young and old) and anyone else about the American wars. I want it to portray truth and not the fiction that so many are trying to show today. I want to show the horrors of the Holocaust just as much as the triumphs of the American Revolution.

One other thing I’d like to do is create not only documentaries, but also what if programs (as in video). I have an idea in mind for such a what if program which would (hopefully) show what would happen if we had limited or no military.

This is just a little of what I have in mind.

Pearl Harbor: Day Of Infamy

Victoria B. Roberts

Sunday, December 7, 1941

Was a day like any other

Nothing new under the sun

But the silence was shattered

By the roaring of warplane engines filling the air

We thought they were our own

Until something happened

That told us this just wasn’t so

A rain of bullets fell upon aircraft, ships, and land

Destroying the life we knew

Thundering bombs fell to the harbor

Bursting holes into our ships

That were docked here at Pearl Harbor

The Arizona was hit

Wrenching it upwards then sinking it to the bottom of the harbor

The Oklahoma rolled over on its side

With men trapped in the capsized hull

Complete chaos spread across the land

Fighters manned their battle-stations

As the medical staff worked to patch up the wounded

We saw our friends, our family, our comrades

As they fought and died

Then just as suddenly as it began the attack was over

REMEMBER…
Victoria Beth Roberts

Remember the Alamo, the cry was heard
We remembered for awhile, then forgot all the lessons we learned
Remember the Lusitania, rang out loud and strong
We remembered it then, but no longer recall the ship that was sunk
Remember Pearl Harbor, was heard in a march
We recalled for awhile, then the lessons were lost
Remember 911, was heard across the land
We recalled for a time, then forgot what happened that day
We forgot the Alamo and the stand those people took
We forgot the Lusitania and all those who died
We forgot Pearl Harbor and the lives that were lost
We forgot 911 and the tragedies that occurred
Let’s remember the past in order to prevent further attacks
Let’s remember the past so as not to make the same mistakes as others
Let the horrors of war flash before our eyes
Lest we forget those who fought, died, and won the freedoms we enjoy

Early in the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, the people of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii were getting ready for Christmas, for Church, or just enjoying a relaxing and restful day.  Suddenly, from out of nowhere, planes appeared overhead.  Many thought they were from the mainland to augment the troops stationed here, but they weren’t.  The peaceful morning was swiftly interrupted when bombs began to explode all around.  The place was in utter chaos as people ran screaming for safety or, in the case of those in the military and medical professions, running to work.  While those in the military rushed to defend the land, the medical personnel rushed to tend the wounded.

It was sixty-seven years ago on this day, that Japanese forces attacked and bombed Pearl Harbor leading us to join the fight of World War II.  To all those who served at Pearl Harbor, THANK YOU!!  I will never forget.

Today I started a difficult task.
I am taking a class called Intro to Archival Management and the final paper is one where I will basically process a currently unprocessed collection. My topic still hasn’t been approved, but I have gone ahead and started working on it even so.
I chose to work on my September 11, 2001 collection. I knew it was a fairly large cllection, but as I was going through the various newspapers (and yes, the Reflector is among them), I was surpised at just how large it really is.
As I went through them, I couldn’t help but actually read some of the print-outs from around that time. I also could not resist the commerative magazines I had purcahsed either. What this resulted in was an overflow of emotions and (I am not ashamed to say) tears. Part of it was due to remembering what happened that day and how I felt. Part of it was the realization of how quickly we, as a nation, forgot. I wanted to both laugh and cry everytime I read the words “We will never forget.” I have no doubt there are many who have not forgotten that day, but I also have evidence of many who apparently have.
Anyway, I felt like sharing this with all of you and wonder what you think about this.

This past Saturday, my family and I went to a local restraunt.  When we entered the restraunt I took a (figurative) step back.  Why? you ask.  Because I was met by a sea of green camoflauge.  I don’t think I had ever seen so many people wearing green camoflauge in my life.  Who were these people?  None other than members of the National Guard.  I was overwhelmed.  I followed my family in and joined them in finding a place to sit (there were a total of eight of us and I wasn’t sure we’d find a place for us all to sit together).  I sat for a few minutes or so and decided to go back to my car and grab my camera.  On my way out, I happened to glance down and noticed something yellow on the upper left-hand side of my t-shirt.  What I discovered (which made me laugh considering) was that I was wearing my “I support the troops” t-shirt.  I had planned to wear it just because, but it didn’t really dawn on me until then the significance of the whole thing.

After I grabbed my camera, I returned inside and stopped between two tables with the most guardsmen and told them thank you.  One of them responded by thanking me (which always makes me laugh simply because I have more reason to thank them) and then added “Thank you for wearing the shirt.”  WOW!!!!  That really made my day.  I explained to him that I just realized what shirt I had on while going back out to my car.

Later, as I left the restraunt, I made a point to stop by another table where a couple of guardsmen were sitted and thanked them too.

The whole experience was truly amazing!

To all who read this and either have or are serving in the United States military:  THANK YOU!!!!

I’m gearing up for Memorial Day.  In my last post I mentioned a Memorial Day program held in the front of the County Courthouse.  Well, I have been checking the paper for more information about it for this year, but found nothing.  Then I remembered talking to someone about it last year and that I had learned this was organized (in some way) through the Greater Starkville Development.  So, I decided to check their website for any information and found that the event is on for tomorrow.

The details are as follows: Place: Starkville, MS in front of the Oktibbeha County Courthouse (Main Street)  Time: 11:30 am.

I will be there looking quite patriotic and carrying a camera.

Memorial Day is almost here.  Last year, I learned that Starkville had started having a Memorial Day program in front of the County Courthouse.  I went and wished I had my camera with me.  So far, I haven’t seen any mention about the program for this year, but I will be there if it occurs.  This is how I wish to spend Memorial Day.

Recently, I received an email from the Kitchen Table Gang (http://www.kitchentablegang.org/) which included a quote that I hope will not prove true this Memorial Day (or any day after).  It was written by an unknown soldier and the message from KTG informs that it was “Etched onto the wall of a sentry box in Gibraltar”.

“God and the soldier, all men adore In time of danger and not before. When the danger is passed and all things righted, God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.” – unknown Soldier

To all those who have served and are serving, thank you.  To those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty I want to say thank you.

Let freedom ring!  “Lest we forget.”