World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial

Background

The World War II Memorial honors the service and sacrifice of sixteen million members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America during the conflict, as well as those who supported the war effort from home, and the 400,000 who lost their lives. It is situated on 7.4 acres on the east end of the Reflecting Pool in the National Mall, making it opposite of the Lincoln Memorial and west of the Washington Monument. Its creation was authorized by President Bill Clinton in May 1993, and a national open competition was held. After over 400 submissions, architect Friedman St. Florian and his team were selected to construct the memorial in 1997. It was constructed from 2001 to 2004, and opened to the public on April 29, 2004. On May 29, 2004, a four-day grand reunion of veterans was held on the National Mall, and ended by dedicating this monument to the “Greatest Generation”.

Memorial entranceway with brief description of the memorial in the foreground.

The main component of the memorial is an elliptical plaza that hosts a pool with fountains and water jets. Since the pool predated the memorial, Friedman St. Florian and his team made sure not only to design the memorial around it, but also to naturally incorporate it with the surrounding landscape. As the memorial lies in between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, the Friedman St. Florian had to carefully design the monument to not obstruct the view and integrity along the National Mall.

Central fountain with westward facing view.

A rectangular entranceway leads into the plaza, where 24 bronze bas-reliefs, mostly based on historical photographs, illustrate the war effort both at home and abroad. The north side contains the war in Europe, while the south side contains the war in the Pacific. Past the entrance, two massive victory pavilions mark the midpoints of the North and South sides of the plaza. They incorporate bronze baldachins, bronze columns with American eagles, World War II victory medals, and the victories in the European and Pacific theaters of the war.

Elliptical fountain with Pacific victory pavilion and granite pillars in the background.

Along the ellipse and extending from the victory pavilions lie 56 granite pillars, each depicting a U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia. Each contain a bronze oak and wheat wreath, and are inscribed with the state or territory’s name. The pillars are linked with a bronze sculpted rope, symbolizing the United States’ unified effort during the war.

Elliptical fountain with Atlantic victory pavilion and granite pillars in the background.

Contained throughout the memorial are quotes from prominent military and political figures during the war, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Admiral Chester Nimitz, Harry S. Truman, George Marshall, Douglas McArthur and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Important turning points in the war, such as the attack on Pearl Harbor, were deemed as “a date which will live in infamy” by FDR. Further U.S. Presidents, such as Harry Truman, regarded those who fought in WW2 as men who “have earned our undying gratitude”, and that “America will never forget their sacrifices”. The memorial’s western end featured what’s known as the Freedom Wall, containing 4000 golden stars, each representing 100 Americans who lost their lives in the conflict.

Quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt along the memorial’s entrance relating to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Quote by Harry S. Truman along the memorial’s west end.

Memorial’s Effect and Significance

This memorial stands as one of the most prominent in Washington D.C. Upon further observation, it’s interesting to note how it fits into the notion of how we perceive and regard our wars. The memorial’s prime location, triumphant arches and imposing architecture clearly evoke a sense of victory, pride and greatness. This neatly aligns with the popular American perception about World War II. Often regarded as the “good war”, it was a global conflict from which the United States not only emerged victorious, but stood as the world’s preeminent superpower and economic powerhouse. With Europe and Japan in ruins, the U.S. was in many ways unrivaled in terms of might shortly following the war. This was a conventional war with clearly defined moral stances on what was good and evil, and who were our allies and enemies. The United States deemed itself as a defender of democracy and human rights against the fascist and imperialist regimes of Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan.

Atlantic victory pavilion, with its baldachins and bronze columns with American eagles visible.

Furthermore, it was a conflict that brought the country together. It touched virtually every part of American life, with massive sums of manpower for the military, employment of women and armed services on a colossal scale. For non-combatants, the war meant dealing with food rations, gathering scrap metal and donating blood. Unlike other conflicts, it was embraced by Americans with enthusiasm, wasn’t politically divisive, and wasn’t polarized along generational or political lines. It was everyone’s war, and Americans were willing to stand up for what they deemed an existential threat.

Pacific victory pavilion, with its baldachins and bronze columns with American eagles visible.

The National World War II Memorial enshrines America’s role in the conflict with triumph. Conflicts that followed it, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War, have far more controversial legacies, as their purpose, objectives and tactics weren’t clear, and they often steered from conventional warfare into guerrilla and attrition tactics. The Korean War, although deemed strategically important, was in the shadow of World War II and was relegated to a lower tier of importance. It is often referred to as the “forgotten war”. The Vietnam War was laden with controversy, as the conflict dragged on for nearly twenty years, tens of thousands of American soldiers lost their lives, many Americans protester the draft and the conflict at home, and it’s purpose was called into question. Currently, both of the aforementioned conflicts have memorials along the National Mall, but their smaller sizes and unassuming character denote American popular perceptions towards the conflicts. On the other hand, the World War II Memorial is hard to miss, sitting right along the middle of the National Mall alongside famous monuments, and hosting an impressive profile that evokes senses of victory, success and superiority.

Map view of National World War II Memorial. It is situated in the center left along the National Mall. To the north is the White House, the Washington Monument lies to the east, and the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial lie to the west.

After nearly two decades of being inaugurated, the National World War II Memorial stands strong along the National Mall. Even with a recent wave of activists and younger generations eager to revisit history and our memorialization of events, the memorial has managed to stand unscathed. This reinforces the notion that World War II, from the American perspective, is seen as a worthy war in which America fought for a noble cause, united the country and remained free of controversy. It is remembered triumphantly, creates unity, and its participants were deemed the greatest generation to have ever lived.

Works Cited:

National Parks Service. World War II Memorial. https://www.nps.gov/wwii/index.htm

National Parks Foundation. World War II Memorial. https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/explore-parks/world-war-ii-memorial

Encyclopaedia Britannica. National World War II Memorial. https://www.britannica.com/topic/National-World-War-II-Memorial

Library of Congress. The Post War United States, 1945-1968. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/post-war-united-states-1945-1968/overview/

Encyclopaedia Britannica. Vietnam War. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/Tet-brings-the-war-home

Liam Stack. Korean War, a ‘Forgotten’ Conflict That Shaped the Modern World. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/world/asia/korean-war-history.html

CNN. American Generation Fast Facts. https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/us/baby-boomer-generation-fast-facts/index.html

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World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial

Background

Memorial’s Effect and Significance

Works Cited:

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