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Labor Day is a legal holiday of United States that is over 100 years old. On the first Monday in September, Labor Day honors the social and economic contributions that the American worker has made to the growth health and prosperity of the country. It was first celebrated in this country in the 1880s -- at a time when people commonly worked 12-hour days. The first Labor Day rally, in 1882, was in support of an eight-hour workday. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. There is still some doubt about who first proposed a holiday to honor workers. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold." But McGuire's claim on Labor Day history has been challenged; many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by Socialists and communists in commemoration of the working man. In the U.S., the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification with Communism.
Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. A street parade to exhibit to the public
"the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civil significance of the holiday. Many colleges and some secondary and elementary schools begin classes immediately after Labor Day. State parks, swimming pools, and campgrounds are all quite busy on Labor Day, as vacationers take one last advantage of the waning hot season.
Today, Labor Day is observed not only in the U.S.but also in Canada, and in other industrialized nations. While it is a general holiday in the United States, its roots in the working class remain clearer in European countries.
Showing posts with label U.S. atomic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. atomic. Show all posts
The Labor Day
12:13 AM | Labels: American Federation of Labor, holiday, Labor Day, labour, Peter J. McGuire, U.S. atomic | No Comment »
65th Anniversary Of Hiroshima Atom Bombing: US Attends for the First Time
9:10 AM | Labels: anti-U.S, bombing, fat man, hiroshima, Little Boy, nuclear, slogans, U.S. atomic | No Comment »
On Friday, Hiroshima marked the 65th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing in World War II . A U.S. representative participated for the first time Friday in Japan's annual commemoration of the American atomic bombing of Hiroshima, in a 65th anniversary event that organizers hope will bolster global efforts toward nuclear disarmament. Although President Barack Obama was not present, Washington sent John Roos, US Ambassador, to the annual memorial located at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.Representatives from France and Britain, US allies during WWII, were also present as a symbolic gesture. It's hard to imagine that 65 years ago, these countries were, along with the US, were aligned against Japan, and today, they pay their respects. At Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, where Friday's ceremony was held, leftist groups in trucks blared anti-U.S. slogans to the crowds.
"The bombing of Hiroshima was totally unnecessary," said one group. "U.S., take your nukes and go home."
According to Wikipedia, After six months of intense strategic fire-bombing of 67 Japanese cities the Japanese government ignored an ultimatum given by the Potsdam Declaration. By executive order of President Harry S. Truman the U.S. dropped the nuclear weapon "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945, followed by the detonation of "Fat Man" over Nagasakion August 9.On Aug. 6, 1945, during World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. About 140,000 people were killed or died within months when the American B-29 “Enola Gay” bombed Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. Three days later, about 80,000 people died after the United States also bombed Nagasaki. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II. To this day, the bombings remain the only time nuclear weapons have been unleashed. The decision in the Hiroshima bombing was purely a strategic one that would tip the scales of the war in the US's favor. Hiroshima was a large city with a dense population. To the military, it was a prime target for bombing due to it being a communications hub for operations and the second command center for the Japanese Military. In the final analysis, the 65th Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagaski and the dropping of the first atomic bomb was pivotal during the nations unrest. Lives were lost, ways of life would change, and the allure of building more weapons of mass destruction would define the "unthinkable".
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