The WWII Memorial, located in a corner of the National Mall, is a monument complex that was unveiled on April 29, 2004. It consists of a large oval-shaped plaza with a rainbow pool measuring approximately 148 feet (45 meters) and surrounded by 56 columns, each about 17 feet (5.1 meters) in height. The columns bear the names of the states that were part of the United States at the time.
History of the Monument’s Construction
The idea for the WWII Memorial started in 1987 when Roger Durbin, a WWII veteran, approached Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat representing Ohio, to propose the construction of a memorial. Despite receiving both praise and criticism, the construction of the memorial began in September 2001, and it took over two years to complete.
The design for the memorial, conceived by Austrian-American architect Friedrich Florian, was chosen in 1997. It integrated the design of the existing Rainbow Pool and its fountain into the memorial, creating a cohesive space.
The plaza itself is quite spacious, with a length of approximately 337 feet and a width of around 240 feet (73 meters), providing ample room for visitors to explore.
The WWII Memorial stands amidst other memorials and museums on the National Mall, including the Washington Monument, allowing visitors to efficiently tour several important historical sites.
World War II: The War against Japan and Germany
The WWII Memorial was opened to the public on April 29, 2004, and its dedication ceremony was conducted by the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, on Memorial Day, May 29, 2004.
Though it is a beautiful memorial that took about two years to complete, it also faced controversy and criticism, with some American journalists deeming it as having poor taste.
The 56 columns represent the 48 states of the United States at the time, along with the District of Columbia (Washington D.C.), Alaska, Hawaii, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These columns lead to a large dome called the Victory Pavilion.
The two domes are inscribed with “Atlantic” and “Pacific” respectively, and inside each dome, there is a laurel wreath, a symbol of peace, placed alongside four eagles.
The Price of Freedom
Beyond the Pacific Dome of the WWII Memorial, there is a small space with a pond. On the wall erected on the other side, there is a Freedom Wall embedded with 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 soldiers who lost their lives. The wall bears the names of battlefields like Pearl Harbor and Bataan-Corregidor, along with the phrase “The Price of Freedom.” The United States suffered around 400,000 casualties in WWII, not counting civilian losses.
Germany lost approximately 5.3 million people, Japan around 2.9 million, and the Soviet Union suffered the highest number of casualties with over 15 million. Worldwide, it is estimated that about 23 million military personnel lost their lives during the war.
A Place to Remember War and Seek Peace
The WWII Memorial, as a place to contemplate peace, is an important symbol in the United States. While countries may have different perspectives on peace memorials due to their roles in the war, reflecting on one’s own history and seeking ways to prevent future conflicts are crucial aspects to consider.
For visitors to Washington D.C., the WWII Memorial is a valuable spot to broaden their perspective and thoughts on history. While Japan has its own symbols of peace, such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Nagasaki Peace Park, each nation’s individual reflections on war and peace are expected to differ. Nonetheless, the WWII Memorial remains a must-visit site for those interested in history and seeking a peaceful future.
