Introduction

The National World War I Memorial is a national war memorial located at the intersection between 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. Located at Pershing Park, the memorial is dedicated to the men and women who served the U.S. during World War I. The monument achieves this by connecting the visual (the statue of General Pershing), the analytical (maps of the Western Front and of the Meuse–Argonne offensive), and the emotional (quotes by Andrews, Wilson, and MacLeish), to truly capture the gravitas and the scale of the conflict. To illustrate this, the total number of people honored at this site is the 4.7 million Americans who served (with only 2 million serving in Europe). Furthermore, this site also acts in solemn remembrance of the 116,516 Americans who lost their lives as a result of the conflict as well as the 204,000 soldiers who returned home wounded. Although the site appears to have much open space, it is rich in references and detail, which makes its visit a truly rewarding experience. 

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(On site video download link)

Memorial History

Compared to the other war memorials in Washington D.C., the National World War I Memorial is very recent, with its current version being unveiled on April 16th, 2021. However, unlike other, older memorials (such as the 1986 Korean war memorial), the World War I memorial is still very much under construction, with the final set piece, the bas-relief sculpture A Soldier’s Journey, expected to be completed by early 2024. However, despite its relatively new appearance, the memorial feels old, which could be partly attributed to its previous role as a memorial for the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) which was erected in 1980. As a result, the oldest component of this memorial actually predates the current installation by four decades and is the statue of General John J. Pershing, who was the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I as well as General of the Armies during the war (the only one to be awarded the title during his lifetime). This statue, sculpted by Robert White, formed the centerpiece of the American Expeditionary Forces memorial, and is supplemented only by a 10-foot tall wall of solid stone which contains detailed engravings of both the Western Front and the U.S.-led Meuse-Argonne Campaign. It also contains descriptive text outlining U.S. involvement in the war. This portion of the current memorial was commissioned in May 1981 and completed in 1983. 

After the completion of the American Expeditionary Forces memorial, several pushes in the early 2000s were made for the memorialization of not just the U.S. troops who formed part of the American Expeditionary Force, but all the 4.5 million men and women who served their country both in Europe and elsewhere. As a result, this memorial is careful to honor members of U.S. armed forces that did not form part of the Expeditionary Force (such as those who served in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard) as well as civilians who served their country at home (mainly through the use of quotes that are scattered across the site). Moreover, once the plan was approved by Congress in 2020  (who appropriated the use of the 1.76 acres of Pershing Park), the design was submitted and approved. The winner of the contest was architect Joe Weishaar, whose simple, yet elegant designs did not severely alter the already existing AEF memorial, but instead added to it by supplementing the statute of Pershings and the descriptive wall with a series of steps that lead down towards the newest piece of the memorial: A Soldier’s Journey sculpture of Sabin Howard. 

Current Design and Layout

The main piece of the current World War I memorial is the half-completed 58-foot-long, cast bronze sculpture called A Soldier’s Journey by Sabin Howard. This sculpture will depict a total of 38 separate figures, each taking a unique part to convey the soldier’s version of the ‘hero’s journey’. The first scene begins on the left side and is called The departure. In it, it shows a departing soldier bidding farewell to his wife as his daughter hands him his helmet. The sculpture then transitions to The Ordeal, where the same soldier slowly makes his way to the front to eventually leads a heroic charge of men over No Man’s Land. Immediately after the charge comes the casualties, which is titled The Aftermath and shows soldiers maimed by bullets, mustard gas, or sheer shock. The protagonist himself even breaks the sequential narrative to look straight at the viewer with the famous ‘thousand-yard stare’, a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder. The last segment is called The Return in which the soldier returns home and gives his helmet back to his daughter, marking a full circle from the original Departure scene. On the opposite side of the sculpture lies a solemn poem by Pulitzer prize-winning poet Archibald MacLeish, titled “The Young Dead Soldiers”. 

Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope 

or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who must say this.

They say, We leave you our deaths: give them their meaning:

We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us.

The poem’s poignant allusion to remembrance makes it a perfect choice as one of the centerpieces for this war memorial. Moreover, MacLeish himself was an officer during the war and is widely believed to have written this poem to honor his fallen comrades. 

Another critical set piece is the Belvedere, which is located immediately in front of A Soldier’s Journey. The Belvedere is a circular structure located on top of a series of steps, giving it a commanding view of the entire memorial, much like a World War observation point would during the war. The Belveder’s circular feature and strategic location give the viewer a panoramic view over the entire memorial, which is further supplemented by information cards placed at the base of the Belvedere at waist height. This new addition (completed in 2021) also contains a cast bronze large-scale representation of the World War I Victory Medal, which is meant to symbolize everlasting peace. Lastly, engraved on the outside of the Belvedere lies a list of engagements and campaigns U.S. forces participated in during the war, which includes: the Somme Defensive, Lys, Aisne, Montdidier-Noyon and the Meuse-Argonne campaign to list a few. This is meant to illustrate the comprehensive extent to which the U.S. got involved in the war, despite being the last major country to join. 

Lastly, scattered around the memorial are quotes about the war. One such quote is by Alta May Andrews, an army nurse who said “If this world must become embroiled in a tremendous “war to end wars, ”I am glad that I, too, may play a part in it.”, a phrase which is believed to praise the diverse backgrounds of those who served their countries, with reference to the countless women, African Americans, and recent immigrants who answered their country’s call to serve. This also adds to the memorial’s stated aim of honoring all of those whose served, and not just the men in the American Expeditionary Force. Finally, another quote of note is by then U.S. President Wildrown Wilson. In it, he states: 

Never before have men crossed the seas to a foreign land

To fight for a cause which they did not pretend was peculiarly their own,

But knew was the cause of humanity and of mankind.

These quotes offer a glimpse into contemporary perspectives on the war and thus add a personal and emotional element to the memorial. Although these figures have long passed away, their perspective lives on, much like the memory of those who served and perished during the war. Moreover, these quotations are often located all around the memorial and are found on the steps themselves. As a result, the only way to read them would be to lower oneself to the lowest point of the memorial and face straight ahead to read them. Lastly, although it is difficult to prove, it appears that the multi-leveled areas of the memorial (created by steps and artificial waterways) evoke a similar feeling to the rough wilderness of the Western Front as well as the sunken feeling one might have had when in a deep trench system. 

Location and Importance

Lastly, it is important to note that the location of this World War I memorial cannot be overstated. Located at the intersection of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, (the famous road that connects the two branches of government: the White House and the Capitol Building), the memorial’s central location is a testament to its importance and reverence. Although not as large and grandiose as the World War II memorial, its subtle, understated, yet critically relevant location mirrors the conflict itself: one that saw vigorous but limited U.S. participation, but helped usher in the ‘American Century’. Lastly, due to its location on Pennsylvania Avenue, it almost holds a direct line of sight with the Capitol Building, a tangible reference to the memorials’ importance. Moreover, the memorial is right across the street from the White House. By being in between the two branches of government directly responsible for the U.S.’ entrance into the war, the memorial serves as both a method of remembrance and a silent reminder of the tremendous cost and sacrifice of military conflict. In all, the memorial’s centrality in the heart of Washington D,C, adds to the theme of solemn remembrance, heroic sacrifice, and sheer scale for the conflict that was to ‘end all wars’.

Additional Information:

World War I Memorial, National Mall and Memorial Parks, World War I Memorial

• https://www.nps.gov/places/000/national-world-war-i-memorial-future-site.htm
• This site offers a detailed and in-depth analysis of the history of the memorial as well thorough detail over its individual components and message 

Kuspit, Donald. A Soldier’s Journey, Memorialized in Art, Realism Today. 

• https://realismtoday.com/realism-sculpture-soldiers-journey-memorial/
• Profesor Kuspit gives a thorough overview of the various artistic motifs found in the A Soldier’s Journey sculpture as well as an individual run down of all 38 cast bronze sculpture. 

Steinhauer, Jennifer. After Years of Wrangling, World War I Memorial Raises First Flag. The New York Times. 

• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/16/us/politics/world-war-i-memorial.html
• A piece that gives a comprehensive overview of the history of the current memorial as well as insights into the construction process and the politics behind the construction of the site.

Crable, Margaret. “We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us.”. University of Southern California Dornsife. 

• https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/3708/national-world-war-i-memorial/
• Gives a thorough history over the recent 2020 push to properly memorialize those who served in World War I, and not just General Pershing and his American Expeditionary Force.  

Gershon, Livia. How D.C.’s Newly Unveiled WWI Memorial Commemorates the Global Conflict. Smithsonian Magazine.

• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-i-memorial-unveiled-180977551/
• Discusses the 2021 unveiling of the memorial, the controversy, and how, much like the war itself, was marked by a global pandemic. 

Tweet:

This year marks 105 years since the U.S. joined World War I. History must NEVER be forgotten. We must here, honor the sacrifice of those who laid down their lives over a century ago, or else we run the risk of descending into tyranny ourselves. 

Work Cited:

“The Belvedere.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/wwim/learn/historyculture/belvedere.htm.

Crable, Margaret. “‘We Were Young, They Say. We Have Died. Remember Us.” > News > USC Dornsife.” USC Dornsife College News RSS. University of Southern California, May 24, 2022. https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/3708/national-world-war-i-memorial/.

Gershon, Livia. “How D.C.’s Newly Unveiled WWI Memorial Commemorates the Global Conflict.” Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, April 20, 2021. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/world-war-i-memorial-unveiled-180977551/.

Kennicott, Philip. “World War One Centennial Commission Moves Forward, Cautiously.” The Washington Post. Washington Post Company, December 3, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/01/26/world-war-one-centennial-commission-moves-forward-cautiously/.

Kuspit, Donald. “A Soldier’s Journey, Memorialized in Art.” Realism Today. Realism Today, July 29, 2020. https://realismtoday.com/.

“Memorial Inscriptions.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/wwim/learn/historyculture/wwiminscriptions.htm.

Steinhauer, Jennifer. “After Years of Wrangling, World War I Memorial Raises First Flag.” The New York Times. The New York Times, April 16, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/16/us/politics/world-war-i-memorial.html.

“Welcome to the World War I Memorial.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/wwim/intro.htm.

“World War I Memorial (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/places/000/national-world-war-i-memorial-future-site.htm.