Author: Kaila H

This National World War II Memorial honors the more than 16 million Americans who fought in WWII and the 416,800 who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. Construction of the memorial began in September 2001 and was completed in 2014. It was originally designed by Austro-American architect Friedrich St. Florian. The memorial was officially opened on April 29, 2004, and dedicated by President George W. Bush on May 29, 2004. It cost a total of $197 million to build the Memorial. Located in between the Washington Monument and the end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the WWII Memorial displays  56 granite pillars, representing the 48 states in the Union in 1945, the District of Columbia, and the seven federal territories: the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. On both the northern and southern ends of the memorial, there is an arch. On the southern side, one symbolizes the Pacific victory and the arch on the northern side represents the Atlantic one. On the east end closest to the Reflecting Pool, there is the Freedom Wall, which shows 4,048 gold stars, each one representing 100 American lives lost in battle. In front of the wall, the granite has the poignant and solemn phrase “here we mark the price of freedom.” 

The middle of the memorial has a series of fountains in the Rainbow Pool. During the construction of the memorial, there were a series of controversies. Originally, the space where it was built was a place of gathering for protesters. Additionally, critics claimed the design was too grandiose and “pompous” similarly to something Hitler and Mussolini would design to commemorate their nation’s history, according to The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Boston Globe. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Brown’s Fine Arts Commission rejected the project’s initial, much larger design amid complaints that it cut the Mall in half, obstructed views of the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument and was reminiscent of the large monuments created for Adolf Hitler by Nazi architect Albert Speer.” Ultimately, all legal challenges were dismissed by Congress since many WWII veterans were passing away. 

Around the memorial, visitors can see two engravings of the famous “Kilroy was here” graffiti message which denoted the presence of American soldiers during the war. A series of quotes are also engraved into the granite. These include quotes from Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and V-J Day, among others. From Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, FDR’s speech in front of Congress “a date which will live in infamy… no matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion the American people in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.” Additionally, on the Eastern Corners, there is a quote from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz’s statement after the official surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945: “They fought together as brothers-in-arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them, we have a solemn obligation.” Lastly, there is an excerpt from General Douglas MacArthur’s radio address to the American people from the USS Missouri on V-J Day: “The war’s end today the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great victory has been won. The skies no longer rain death – the seas bear only commerce – men everywhere walk upright in the sunlight. The entire world is quietly at peace.” These iconic quotes mark the amalgamation of sacrifices and the unified effort at several crucial points in the war that were needed to win. 

The memorial creates a sense of hope through this emphasis on great sacrifice to have peace for future generations. In the middle, the Rainbow Pool resembles the European fountains in which American troops celebrated the end of WWII. For this reason, visitors are permitted to put their feet in the water as a sign of victory over tyranny and a sense of optimism for the future. The memorial symbolizes the culmination of a national effort to win the war. There is a patriotic focus on American identity and the unified effort of armed forces to defeat totalitarian regimes that rose to power. It is important to note the lack of explicitly mentioning totalitarianism but the memorial serves rather as an allusion to the price of freedom and peace. It most importantly accentuates the indispensable selflessness and unity needed in order to be victorious. 

As one visits the memorial, families, many of whom with young children, are seen walking and playing around in the fountains. This joyful sight significantly contrasts the horror of the war itself. The architect’s decision to focus on peace rather than the violence seen in the war is a crucial distinction from other memorials such as the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials. Unlike these ones, the WWII Memorial does not depict the imagery of battle nor does it explicitly mention the names of those who died. Instead, St. Florian emphasizes the war’s outcome and paints it as the powerful triumph of good over the evil of tyranny. He strives to humbly commend the valiant efforts of those who sacrificed their own well-being for a cause that was greater than themselves. 

Today, Veterans’ Organizations and Presidents lay wreaths and host events to commemorate V-E Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, D-Day, and other special occasions to honor veterans. In December 2021, President Biden held a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of the 80th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. 

For further reading: World War II Memorial (U.S. National Park Service); Construction Team; WWII Memorial in the Media: The Controversy | National Mall Coalition; Kilroy Was Here (U.S. National Park Service); National World War II Memorial | Description & Facts | Britannica; Top 10 Interesting WW2 Memorial Facts | Ultimate List; Visiting the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC; Memorial Quotations and Inscriptions – World War II Memorial (U.S. National Park Service).