Viet Nam Memorial Sobering Experience.
Written: Dec 04 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Artistically aesthetic. Historically Significant
Cons: None.
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| coldsteel7's Full Review: Vietnam Veterans Memorial |
I worked in Washington DC for a couple of years, and enjoyed visiting the variety of interesting sites that our nation's capitol has to offer. Of all the places I visited in Washington DC, the Viet Nam and Korean Memorials are by far the most memorable.
The Viet Nam Memorial is a masterpiece. It is subtle. The memorial is basically a wall, with a sidewalk next to it. Two things make it more than just that. The first is the layout. As you walk down the sidewalk, the wall becomes larger, until you feel completely enveloped by the haunting reflection of names on the wall. As you are overcome by the size of the wall, the extent of human sacrifice becomes clear. The other aspect of the wall is that it is alive with the stories of the peoples lives that it has touched. The Smithsonian Institute (in the American History Museum) has several items collected from the wall, that tell it's unique history...it's just not the same looking at it there, though. On one particular day that I was there, I stopped to read a card placed by the wall. It was from a woman, who was a little girl when her father was killed in action. It was an invitation to her wedding, and a request for him to walk her down the aisle. The letter was poetic, and tore my heart to shreds....I cried. Something I don't do often.
As you walk up the other side of the Viet Nam memorial, you come to the Women's memorial. A stark reminder that, although women are not permitted in combat roles, many women have given their lives supporting the men that are. The memorial is attractive and well done.
The other memorial at the top of the walkway is the actual Viet Nam memorial. It depicts three men, very lifelike, casually walking with their rifles almost an afterthought. It depicts the human aspect of the men who gave their lives, and is very tastefully depicted.
There is a newer memorial...the Korean Memorial located on the other side of the Lincoln Memorial. This memorial is also splendidly artistic and original. The memorial depicts nineteen men appearing to be walking on patrol. In the morning, the sunrise reflects the image off the wall, creating thirty-eight men....an allegory to the thirty-eighth parallel. At the point of the memorial is an inscription "they went to a land they never heard of to fight for a man they didn't know" or something of that ilk. The wall is also unique, instead of names it depicts etched photographs taken from the Korean War. It is very impressive, and surprisingly detailed for being etched in stone.
I would strongly recommend the Viet Nam and Korean War Memorials to anyone visiting Washington DC. It is a somber reminder of the debt we owe to those who gave their lives for our freedom.
Recommended:
Yes
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