Description:
On a 2-acre plot of land, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designed by Maya Lin, honors those who fought in the armed forces during the Vietnam War, service members who died while in Vietnam, and those who were missing in action or unaccounted for during the war. The memorial’s largest piece is the Memorial Wall which is made up of two 246-foot long black granite walls. Each wall has 72 panels with 70 names on each.
When the wall was dedicated in 1982, there were only 57,939 names listed. However, as of May 2018 there now 58,320 names listed. The walls are sunken into the ground with the apex of the walls standing at 10.1 feet high. As the walls go in opposite directions, they taper down to a height of 8 inches.
On the same plot of land, a bronze statue depicting three soldiers stands. Named The Three Servicemen, it has three soldiers identifiable as a European American, an African American, and a Hispanic American standing next to each other. The soldiers look solemnly upon the wall with the names of fallen Americans. There is also a Vietnam Women’s memorial located near the wall. The sculpture depicts three women with a wounded soldier. This memorial serves as a reminder of the importance of women during the Vietnam conflict.
In addition to the statues and walls on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial plot, there is a memory plaque. In 2000, the “In Memory Plaque” was added to the memorial park. The plaque is intended to honor those who died after service but their names are not eligible to be placed on the wall due to Department of Defense policies. The 24-inch by 36-inch plaque is a granite stone dedicated on November 10, 2004. The inscription on the plaque reads, “In memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.”
General History:
In 1979, four years after the Fall of Saigon, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was developed as a non-profit organization in order to establish a memorial to the veterans of the Vietnam War. Over $8.4 million was raised by private donors and a year later, Congress chose a site near the Lincoln Memorial. Over 1,400 designs were submitted, but Maya Lin was announced the winner. After this was announced there were many criticisms of the design. Many people believed that a black wall was not enough to honor Vietnam veterans. So, Maya Lin compromised and allowed the Three Servicemen sculpture to be commissioned. In 1982, the revised design was approved and ground was broken.
Much of the design and building took place in the United States. However, because of its reflective quality, the stone of the memorial came from Bangalore, India. The cutting of the stones took place in Vermont and then the stones were shipped to Tennessee where the names were etched. The memorial was dedicated on November 13, 1982. On the opening day, thousands of Vietnam veterans marched to the memorial.
Symbolism/Analysis:
The walls of the memorial are polished creating a reflection effect on the viewer, allowing to look at themselves as they look at the names of all of those who gave their lives for America. It brings the past and present together. The tapering of the walls of the memorial symbolize a wound that is closed and healing. This notion applies to physical, along with mental wounds caused by the trauma of the Vietnam War. Additionally, having the names begin and end the center is mean to form a circle. This circle represents the completion of the war, eliminating any type of continuing conflict. The decision to just include all those killed or missing in action conveys just how many lives were lost during the conflict.
