My group decided to compare the 2 memorials: the Vietnam memorial and the WWII memorial. We noticed a few differences. 1) The Vietnam memorial had a somber feeling about it, and even looked like a scar upon the land (if you looked at it through satellite imaging). This scar-like image showed how the memorial was of a war that most people would like to forget and it literally is a "scar" on the nations identity 2) The WWII memorial was more of a celebratory memorial to remember a war that brought the nation together. Unlike the Vietnam memorial, it was built up and drew people from all over Washington to hang out around it.
The contrast of the 2 memorials could also apply to the behavior of the people around them. Some people, such as veterans of the Vietnam war, would take the Vietnam memorial more seriously. Some groups saw the majority of people gazing at the wall in awe, as if they were searching for names and some were merely taking in the impact of the memorial itself. With the WWII memorial, however, most people just went about their everyday lives and didn't really pay much attention to the memorial. It makes me wonder, was this the way the makers of these memorials wanted people to act? What exactly did they want people to get out of these memorials?
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I loved the point about the Vietnam Memorial being a 'scar' from an aerial view. I had never heard that until the class discussion on Friday. It is interesting how they choose to depict the two wars so differently. If one didn't know any better, you might think that World War II was not a bloody war like the one at Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question though, I suppose that the memorials are built so that people will remember what others have done for the country. For those who were in the war, it is a personal connection but for those of us who have barely any connection if any, it is there to remind us of the people who fought for the country. The WWII memorial, however, really just seems like a pretty place with states for everyone to pose for photos. The only part which demands some sort of remembrance is the section with the stars. The different atmosphere between the two memorials is striking.