NU cadets in December 1918, just one month after the armistice that ended WWI
The following excerpt is taken from an editorial in the November 1918 edition of the Norwich student newspaper, the Reveille. It was the first edition published following the November 11th armistice that ended World War I, which we commemorate today as Veterans’ Day.
Throughout the war, the Reveille published dispatches from Norwich men on the front lines; rosters of those called to service; and heartfelt memorials to those lost in battle. This moving editorial upon the war’s conclusion speaks to the spirit of unity felt by all Norwich alumni in times of both war and peace:
It is, in my mind, a shame that the high spirit of unity, prevalent during the war, cannot be kept in peace, but I suppose it is impossible. In war, the people forget their grievances toward one another; states and even nations do the same. They all hang together for the one cause in the war. After the peace has been declared, people bring up again their old grievances.
But why can’t we here at Norwich beat them to it and cut it out? Quit this “crabbing” and start the other way right now–just beat the world to it by a few months at least. It would be easy if every single man tried. One man can do more to down it than ten can do boost it. It is really a matter of spirit alone. We pride ourselves on our Norwich spirit. Let us prove our pride is based upon that fact.
The Reveille vol. 64 no. 2, November 1918, p. 23
The service of Norwich veterans is remembered in a variety of ways here in Archives and Special Collections. From the Mexican-American War of the 1840s to the recent conflicts in the Middle East, these veterans are an integral part of Norwich history. We collect letters, diaries, service records, and more materials that document the lives of these brave men and women.
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