Every Day Is Special: June 2 – Republic Day in Italy

Posted on June 2, 2016

During World War II, so much horrible stuff happened: so many nations were taken over by dictators; so many others invaded and occupied by enemy armies; so many people were killed!

When the war was over, some pretty big changes swept over the world. In the U.S., a new constitutional amendment stated that a president could only serve two 4-year terms. (The wartime president, F. D. Roosevelt, was elected president for four 4-year terms but died during the fourth term.) In the Middle East, the nation of Israel was created. Many colonies around the world were finally given independence or started down the path to independence. Japan's emperor became more of a figurehead, and the nation's parliament was given more power.

One thing that happened right after the war (on this date in 1946) was that Italians voted to abolish the monarchy. No more kings for Italy!

Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Rome

Many people get the day off of work, and there are some official ceremonies such as the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

I have been to “the” Tomb of the Unknown Soldier here in the U.S., at Arlington National Cemetery (near the capital, Washington, D.C.). I got to wondering how many nations have such tombs.

During a hurricane, guards remained at their post
guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the U.S.

Zimbabwe's Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier and (in the back) Eternal Fire Tower

I discovered that the idea for a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier got its start at the time of World War I. A British man had seen a grave marked by a pencil-written inscription: “An Unknown British Soldier.” He suggested that there should be a national-level monument honoring all the soldiers who die while unidentified. Both Britain and France did create monumental graves, placed in important areas in their nations' capitals. The idea spread almost immediately to the U.S., Portugal, and Italy. Now at least 47 nations have such monuments, including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Syria, and Bangladesh. Some of them include the symbolism of an “Eternal Flame.”

For more info about Italy, check out this recent post.

Also on this date: