This image commemorated the lost lives of the Samoan Crisis which was a face off between German and American war ships during the Samoan Civil War. But, taken for it's visual impact without that particular context, it reminds me of the shared history of the nation that was founded by the blood of Northwestern European sons. Apparently, British ships monitored this standoff, so they play a role in this as well. These three nations were at times understood to be of one blood, one heritage. As an American of English-German heritage, I mourn the loss of these bonds. Moreover, I mourn the loss of the foundational stock of my birth nation. But, it's even more heart wrenching to see the Mother Countries losing their own cultural hegemonies. So, outside of the context of the original meaning of this image, I would like to think of it as emblematic of a reunion of blood brothers to work for our revival and survival.

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