Podcast Summary

Todo Concostrina — "11 de noviembre de 1918: Armisticio de la Gran Guerra, amapolas y soldados desconocidos"

Host: Nieves Concostrina
Date: November 11, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode commemorates the anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I, focusing on its enduring symbol—the red poppy—and exploring the complex legacy of unknown soldiers through Nieves Concostrina’s sharp, critical, and sometimes humorous lens. The podcast dissects war memorial traditions in the UK, France, the US, and Spain, highlighting both the solemn intentions and the "pifias" ("screw-ups") behind some of the most symbolic military homages in history.

Main Themes & Key Discussion Points

The Symbolism of the Poppy (Amapola)

• [00:55] Every year from late October to November 11, the British honor their war dead with red poppies—made of fabric, paper, or even found on umbrellas and lapels of politicians and even the king.
• The poppy tradition originates from the poem "In Flanders Fields" (1915), written by Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae after the death of a friend.
  • "En los campos de Flandes crecen las amapolas. Fila tras fila entre las cruces que marcan nuestras tumbas..."
  • The striking red of the poppy, blooming in the blood-soaked fields of France and Belgium, becomes a symbol of remembrance and resilience.
• Since 1921, poppies have been sold to raise funds for veterans, making their appearance especially prominent on November 11 at 11 a.m.—the "11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month," when the WWI armistice took effect.

The "Beautiful" Symbolism Cost Lives

• [03:36] The precise armistice timing—11:00 on November 11, 1918—was not happenstance, but a caprice intended for symbolic flourish.
• [04:06] "El armisticio se había firmado seis horas antes de las once. Los alemanes firmaron su rendición a las cinco de la mañana." — Nieves
• During the unnecessary six-hour wait to match this symbolism, nearly 3,000 soldiers died and 7,000 were wounded in pointless fighting.
  • "Tan bonito como que en esas seis horas tontas en las que en realidad ya no había guerra, murieron casi tres mil hombres..." [04:10] — Nieves

The Blunders of the Unknown Soldiers

• War memorials for "Unknown Soldiers" exist in many nations, but their selection often reveals troubling biases or bureaucratic missteps.

France’s Racist Selection

• In 1918, France sought a body to represent all the missing under the Arc de Triomphe.
  • The first found was a Senegalese fusilier, a black colonial soldier. He was rejected:
  • "...los franceses querían un muerto desconocido... pero que fuera blanquito." [05:48] — Nieves
• Ultimately, a "pure-blooded" Frenchman was chosen.

The American Mistake

• The US desired a Vietnam War unknown for its Arlington collection (which already included unknowns from WWI, WWII, and Korea).
• [08:34] In 1984, they buried a supposed unknown Vietnam casualty with honors—President Reagan in attendance.
• The "unknown" was later identified as Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a helicopter pilot shot down in 1972.
  • "...ese soldado anónimo era en realidad el teniente Michael Joseph Blassie..." [08:34] — Nieves
• A CBS investigation in 1998, 14 years after the burial, revealed the truth, prompting exhumation and proper identification.
  • The family finally reclaimed him:
  • "...la gente quiere a su muerto. Nada de que se quedara allí como un desconocido." [10:48] — Nieves

Systemic Issues in Soldier Identification

• The US military faced broader identification failures. Between 2003 and 2008, 274 identification errors were officially recognized, with more potentially undisclosed.
• These revelations emerged only after Congressional investigations during Obama’s presidency; before that, the Bush administration had imposed media restrictions on war casualties.
  • "...Bush había impuesto discreción sobre todo lo que tuviera que ver con las muertes de soldados." [11:45] — Nieves

Spanish Parallel: The Yak-42 Disaster

• The botched identification of Spanish soldiers following the 2003 Yak-42 plane crash in Turkey mirrored these problems.
  • 62 Spanish military died, and the government’s hasty, negligent identification process led to mixed-up remains and families receiving the wrong bodies.
  • "Otros restos siguen en Turquía. Qué menudo desastre fue aquello." [13:00] — Nieves
  • Nieves points out the hypocrisy and failure of what she calls "patriotic" governments.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Military Stupidity:
  "...la inteligencia militar es un oxímoron." [04:10] — Nieves

• On Symbolism vs. Reality:
  "Tan bonito como que en esas seis horas tontas en las que en realidad ya no había guerra, murieron casi tres mil hombres y siete mil acabaron mutilados..." [04:10] — Nieves

• On Bureaucratic Blunders:
  "La pifia estadounidense resultó ser que el soldado desconocido elegido para representar a los caídos en Vietnam no era desconocido. Tenía nombre y apellidos..." [05:48] — Nieves

• On Honor and Hypocrisy:
  "Aquí hemos venido a destapar pifias. Y con las tumbas de los soldados desconocidos, que se sepa, hay unas cuantas." [05:13] — Nieves

• On Families' Grief:
  "La familia quería a su muerto. La gente quiere a su muerto. Nada de que se quedara allí como un desconocido." [10:48] — Nieves

• On Official Accountability:
  "...la verdad es que el gobierno Aznar, tan español él, pero con tan mala memoria, se cubrió de gloria antipatriótica..." [13:00] — Nieves

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:55 — Origins and meaning of the poppy symbol and its British tradition
• 03:36 — The symbolic choice of 11/11 at 11 and its deadly consequences
• 05:41 — Selecting the "Unknown Soldier": France’s racist episode
• 05:48 — US blunder: The "unknown" Vietnam soldier identified
• 07:29 — The logistical and scientific complexities of identifying war remains
• 09:12 — How the real identity of the US unknown soldier was revealed
• 10:48 — The exhumation and return of Lt. Blassie to his family
• 12:17 — Broader mishandling of military identifications in the US and Spain

Conclusion & Tone

Nieves Concostrina maintains her signature irreverent, critical-but-informative style throughout. The episode offers a poignant reflection on the cost of symbols, the failures and ironies behind supposedly sacred traditions, and emphasizes the pain left by administrative or political negligence. It’s a powerful mixture of historical fact, societal critique, and dark humor targeted at dismantling mythic sanctifications of war and national honor.

For further listening: The episode references previous deep dives (notably the 2019 podcast, for those seeking even more detail on these stories).