作者：Xiaohong Chen( 世界和平联合会主席）
美国阵亡将士纪念日（Memorial Day），是美国大多数州都要纪念的节日，时间原为5月30日，1971年以后，为保证联邦雇员都能享有这一休息日，许多州将它改在5月的最后一个星期一。
在美国南北战争中，有无数的战士在奋斗中牺牲，美国人民为了纪念和缅怀他们，给他们设立了一个纪念日——阵亡将士纪念日。
1866年，在南北战争结束后不久，美国正在慢慢从漫长血腥的南北战争中恢复过来。幸存的士兵们回到家乡，带着伤残的身体和要诉说的故事。
纽约滑铁卢的一位名为亨利·韦尔斯（Henry Welles）的药店老板提议全城商铺关门一天，为在战争中牺牲的将士们默哀。这一提议得到了人们的支持，同一年5月5日，该镇正式举办了纪念活动，人们将花圈十字架放在士兵的墓碑前。同一天，乔纳森·洛根将军，联邦军退伍军人组织共和大军（Grand Army of the Republic）的创始人在他的第11号将军令中宣布，5月30日将会是一个纪念在战争中牺牲的士兵的日子。
他在这一天带领退伍军人到公用墓地用鲜花和旗帜装饰士兵们的墓地，也因此这一天最初被称为装饰日（Decoration Day）。这两个仪式在1868年合二为一，老兵和市民一起，在这一天为那些为国捐躯的将士们扫墓。
1873年开始，纽约州政府开始官方承认纪念阵亡将士。
1890年，这个节日也得到了北方各州的认可。南方并不认同这一天，他们选择在其他日期纪念死去的士兵。直到1918年第一次世界大战结束后，阵亡将士纪念日逐渐演变为普遍纪念那些在战中死去的美国士兵而不仅是南北战中死去的士兵。一些北方州也选择在其他日期单独纪念阵亡的北军士兵。1971年，为了让更多的人能够方便的纪念这一天，联邦政府将其定为国家节日，并将日期定为5月的最后一个星期一。
每逢阵亡将士纪念日这一天，从破晓到正午，美国会降半旗。美国现役军人和老战士便排成长长的队伍前往墓地，鸣枪向阵亡将士致意，吹响军中熄灯号让死难将士安息。阵亡将士的家属和义工会到各地将士公墓，在每一个墓碑前摆放鲜花，并插上一支小国旗。
美国所有城市都在5月的最后一个周一举行各种不同仪式向为国捐躯的人们致敬。纪念日不仅限于向军队中的美国人致敬。它也是一个思念的节日。家庭和个人都怀念他们已经逝去的亲人。
（视频来源于网络）
有战争就有流血牺牲，每当战争来临的时候，总会有一批为自己的国家在战争中英雄作战而牺牲。想一想，这些牺牲的人本来也可以与活着的人一样，享受人生的美好时光，战争是残酷的，也是自私的。为什么要战争？让那么多的生命作代价去获取了什么呢？什么东西比生命更重要？什么是人权？是谁剥夺了他们活着的权利？过去了的就让它永远的过去吧！不要再发生！不要再有战争！回归到人性本来的面目：人之初、性本善，以和为贵，大事化小 小事化了……“人类是一个整体，不要分割任一个器官”，大自然也一样，不要执意破坏原生态的美，还世界一个安逸平静的环境。
今天是美国本土的的5 月31 日纪念日，美国阵亡将士纪念日的设立也是为了警醒世人，和平比战争好！我觉的不论是哪个国家的人民都应该有自己的爱国意识和民族意识。我们的和平来之不易，请且行且善且珍惜……
Thoughts on “Memorial Day” in the United States
Author: Xiaohong Chen (President of the World Peace Federation)
The United States Memorial Day (Memorial Day) is a holiday commemorated by most states in the United States. It was originally May 30. After 1971, to ensure that federal employees can enjoy this rest day, many states changed it to The last Monday in May.
. In the American Civil War, countless soldiers died in the struggle. In order to commemorate and remember them, the American people set up a memorial day for them-Memorial Day.
In 1866, shortly after the end of the Civil War, the United States was slowly recovering from the long and bloody Civil War. The surviving soldiers returned to their hometowns with their disabled bodies and stories to tell.
A pharmacy owner named Henry Welles in Waterloo, New York, suggested that shops throughout the city should be closed for a day in tribute to the soldiers who died in the war. This proposal was supported by the people. On May 5 of the same year, the town officially held a commemorative event in which people placed wreaths and crosses in front of the soldiers’ tombstones. On the same day, General Jonathan Logan, the founder of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union Army veterans organization, announced in his General Order No. 11 that May 30 will be a memorial to the sacrifices in the war. Of the soldiers.
On this day, he led the veterans to the public cemetery to decorate the soldiers’ cemeteries with flowers and flags. Therefore, this day was originally called Decoration Day. These two ceremonies were merged into one in 1868. Veterans and citizens joined together to sweep the graves of those soldiers who died for the country on this day.
Beginning in 1873, the New York State Government began to officially recognize and commemorate the fallen soldiers.
In 1890, this festival was also recognized by the northern states. The South did not approve of this day, they chose to commemorate the dead soldiers on other dates. Until the end of the First World War in 1918, Memorial Day gradually evolved to commemorate those American soldiers who died in the war rather than just soldiers who died in the Civil War. Some northern states also choose to commemorate the Northern Army soldiers who died on other dates. In 1971, in order to allow more people to commemorate this day conveniently, the federal government designated it as a national holiday and set the date as the last Monday in May.
On Memorial Day, from dawn to noon, the United States will lower its flag at half-mast. American active-duty soldiers and veterans lined up to the cemetery, fired shots to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers, and blew the military lights to let the dead soldiers rest in peace. The families and volunteers of the fallen soldiers went to the cemeteries of the soldiers in various places, placing flowers in front of each tombstone and planting a small national flag.
All cities in the United States hold various ceremonies on the last Monday of May to pay tribute to those who died for their country. Remembrance Day is not limited to paying tribute to the Americans in the military. It is also a holiday of yearning. Families and individuals miss their loved ones who have passed away.
When there is war, there are blood and sacrifices. Whenever a war comes, there will always be a group of people who will die for their own country in the heroic fighting of the war. Think about it, these sacrificed people could have enjoyed the good times of life just like the living people. War is cruel and selfish. Why war? What has been gained by letting so many lives as the price? What is more important than life? What are human rights? Who deprived them of their right to live? Let it pass forever! Don’t happen again! Stop war! Return to the original face of human nature: human beings are at the beginning, nature is good, harmony is the most important, big things are turned into small things… “Human beings are a whole, don’t divide any organ”, nature is the same, don’t insist on destroying the original ecology The beauty of the world is also a comfortable and peaceful environment in the world.
Today is the May 31st anniversary in the United States. The establishment of Memorial Day in the United States is also to alert the world that peace is better than war! I think the people of any country should have their own patriotic and national consciousness. Our peace is hard-won, please do it well and cherish it…
本台责任编辑：陈妮娜