World War II Memorial on the National Mall in D.C.
POSTED AT 12:53 PM

The recently concluded field trip to Washington D.C. brought us students on a tour of the National Mall. My experience on this field trip differed from that of the majority of the other students in two main aspects. It was my first visit to Washington D.C.; therefore it was the first time that I would visit all the monuments on the Mall. As a foreigner, it was also from a perspective of an outsider that I would view the war memorials and national hero monuments. Surely the Lincoln Monument or the Vietnam Veteran’s Monument would strike a special chord in the hearts of most Americans; I would feel no such national solidarity.

The World War II memorial would prove to be different. Upon alighting from the bus, my first impression of all the monuments on the National Mall would be built upon the image of the archway of the Pacific Pavilion. It was a plain white archway, with the word “PACIFIC” engraved across the top. Simple and unassuming, but it also represented my country’s involvement in the deadliest military conflict in history. This memorial was the only one on the Mall that I could relate to on a personal level, and this connection set it apart from all of the other monuments. Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson seemed to be little more than history book characters who lived a long time ago in a place very far away. In comparison, I have heard stories of the war from my grandparents back home.

Within the pavilion, four doves carried between them an olive branch, universal symbols of peace. It was indeed fitting that the reestablishment of peace at the end of the war should be commemorated so prominently. It is for the maintenance of such a freedom that people are willing to give up their lives. To commemorate the return to peace is a huge tribute to their ultimate sacrifice.

A victory medal was mounted on the ground with the words, “Victory on Land, Victory at Sea, Victor in the Air”. I found this disturbing. Above all else, war is a horror, an atrocity upon mankind. To glorify the victory would be inappropriate. Granted, the Allied victory liberated many countries from the grip of foreign invasion; nevertheless, the cost to human life remains staggering. We should honour the brave soldiers who gave their lives in service of their country, and we should learn from the errors of our predecessors in order to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. This monument should serve to remind the people of the lessons of the past, lest we forget. Victory is a terrible thing, because it is always overshadowed by the horror of the preceding war.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered that eagles, not doves, were mounted below the archway. The olive branch had transformed into a victory wreath. It was not an occasion of solemn remembrance, but rather a celebration of supremacy and victory.

The Atlantic Pavilion stood on the other side of the memorial in symmetrical alignment. It carried the same eagles and victory wreath, and had the same medal inlaid into the ground. The loss of millions of soldiers and non-combatants, including 400,000 or so American lives, were summarised succinctly in the words, “Victory on Land, Victory at Sea, Victory in the Air.”

The World War II memorial is located in the heart of the National Mall, next to the Washington Monument. Its proximity to the Washington Monument, the definitive monument of the entire area, suggests its importance, as compared to the other war memorials such as the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Its prominent position in the spotlight can be justified by the sheer magnitude and human cost of this war in relation to its compatriots. However, the flippant attitude of this memorial to the harsh realities of war renders it unworthy of such recognition. “War does not determine who is right, only who is left (Bertrand Russell).” There is no glory to be derived from war, only solemn retrospect and remembrance.