DR. MACHOVEC AND COLONEL RANDY HALL’S WWI RETROSPECTIVE SONG AND DANCE—

100 years ago today, Nov. 11, 1918 brought an end to one of the greatest and most terrible world events in human history. The Great War, World War I, ended with Germany agreeing to sign an armistice with the Western Allied Powers, following the lead of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

For your entertainment and edification, Dr. Frank Machovec, Wofford professor of economics, and Colonel Randy Hall, the head of Campus Safety, both former members of the armed services, have put together a little song and dance (whether or not there will be actual singing and dancing, we’ll have to find out on Thursday) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the events of World War I.

When asked about the inspiration for such events, Machovec described a trip to Canada about 10 years ago, around the same time of year, early November, where he witnessed a sea of red poppies.

“Men, women, children, everyone wore a red poppy,” he says.

The red poppy is a symbol of remembrance for the First World War and it is common in many countries to see red poppies worn on jackets, lapels and hats as a symbol of thanks and remembrance for the sacrifices made during the first major international conflict of the 20th century.

In the United States, we observe Veteran’s Day every year on Nov. 11 to commemorate those who have fallen in service to the United States in all conflicts.

Machovec and Hall took this year’s Veteran’s Day as a chance to remember World War I in particular as this year marks the 100th anniversary. Groups all over the world are in particular choosing to remember World War I beginning this year and extending through 2018, marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

In 2013, the United States Congress established the World War I Centennial Commission to plan events to commemorate the Great War.

This retrospective is “intended to be something unusual the students will remember for years to come,” says Machovec.

For an hour, employing a wide range of mediums and forms of expression, Hall and Machovec will delve into many different dimensions of the war, from the impact of the war on race relations in the United States to Canadian national solidarity; plastic surgery to the modern state of Europe; the redrawn map of the Middle East to the new Pacific rivalry between American and Japan. With hands-on show and tell items (think real, authentic battle gear from WWI), readings of battlefield poetry and a comprehensive use of historical knowledge and images, Machovec and Hall intend to give an unconventional and multicultural in-depth portrayal of World War I.

If that’s not enough to pique student’s interest, there’s free stuff. For every student that attends, there will be three small souvenirs, and the opportunity to earn another small piece of history by being able to correctly answer questions posited by Machovec and Hall throughout the program. Reach back in your memory to your high school history of World War I, and plan to spend an hour in Olin on Thursday learning about a definitive and momentous chapter in American and world history. The presentation will take place on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. in Olin Theater.