As President Trump turns 79, he is set to fulfill his ambition of hosting a military parade in Washington, a spectacle typical in many parts of the world. Inspired by the grandeur of France’s Bastille Day in 2017, Trump aims for a similar display of national pride. Despite the novelty for most Americans, who are unaccustomed to such parades, the U.S. has a limited history of military displays, primarily tying them to wartime victories. Historically, any effort for a parade encapsulates a nation's identity and narrative, according to historians.
"Americans aren't used to seeing these kinds of parades," said David Kieran, historian of war and society, highlighting the U.S.'s lack of a modern tradition of public military parades.
"Any effort in memorialization is an effort to say this is who we are," said David Fitzgerald, noting parades tell national stories that define a nation's identity.
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