National World War II Memorial
World War II Monument in Washington D.C.
Figure 1: National World War II Memorial in D.C
On December 7th, 1941 the United States joined the Second World War because of the bombing on Pearl Harbor done by Japan. Four years the US was involved in the war, with 16 million people who served in the armed forces. This memorial honors all of the 16 million and the 400,000 who died, and all those who supported from the homeland. Symbolic of one of the most terrible wars and defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. Nearly 59 years after the end of World War II, the National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 29, 2004. It is located on 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues, and is flanked by the Washington Monument to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.
Figure 2
There are 4,048 gold stars; each one represents 100 American military deaths. Of 16 million men and women in military service during the time, that number represents 1 death out of every 40. When an American went off to fight, the family often displayed in their window a flag bearing a blue star on a white field with a red border. If one of those dreaded telegrams arrived informing them of their family member's death, they would replace the blue star with a gold one; revealing that family’s sacrifice. “Here We Mark The Price Of Freedom” is inscribed below the Freedom Wall.
Figure 3: President Eisenhower's quote on invading France
Figure 4: Memorials Pillars representing each state in the US
This quote at the monument represents the Americans fight in the Atlantic and recognizes Americans that fought hard and long against the Axis Powers but nowhere is the Pacific brought up. Yes, those who were killed in war are remembered but what happened to remembering the innocent lost at war as well? The Allied Powers won the war and the countries were safe, but why don't we remember the drastic tactics we used to win the war? To recognize the atrocities done at war will represent that the world is ready to end war and find other ways to reach peace with each other. When I visited the memorial I felt as if people were forgotten, World War II was fought by many people and unsual allies, but all together it should have taught the world a lesson; that Atomic bombings hurt everyone.
Figure 5: National Memorial view at night
Universal Monument
A monument should be made to represent all of those brave soldiers lost at war and it should be made to also honor all the people who died and were effected by the Atomic bombs. This monument should describe the realities of the damage of the atomic bombing and war, showing the suffering, because it should be something that no one else should ever suffer that type of hell. It should be located in an area that is accessible to everyone who was involved in the war. Nuclear weapons must never be approved and should be destroyed, If the sacrifices of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were ever to be considered unavoidable, it would lead people to tolerate nuclear war and that is something that the whole word should want to avoid. With this monument being a memorial for all, it would make the whole world stand in solidarity against utter destruction no more atomic bombs!
