why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial

WebThe memorial, located near the western end of the Mall, is a black granite V-shaped wall inscribed with the names of the approximately 58,000 men and women who were killed or missing in action. Over 1 million wounded, 50,000 plus civilian The names of soldiers who were dead had a diamond symbol by their name and those missing in action had a plus symbol. Cambodia General Price, along with Senators Warner and Mathias and future Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, gave moving addresses before the command was given, and 150 shovels entered the ground with enthusiastic veterans enjoying the moment. Vietnam Veterans Memorial The memorial was completed in late October 1982 and dedicated in November 1982. Among other duties, Healy was the member of Mathias staff who handled memorials and worked as the liaison with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The competition garnered more than 1,400 submissions, so many that an Air Force hangar was called into service to display all the entries for the judging. Range Report: How Good Is the Smith and Wesson M&P FPC 9mm Folding Carbine? Courtesy of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. When I was attending law school, Vietnam veterans were an anomaly among the young single professional set of Washington, so it was something you didnt mention. remembered Doubek. Veterans would stay at the wall for hours making pencil rubbings of names that were important to them. The Vietnam Memorial is not a place to get excited about American military might; it is a place for quiet mediation. Working with the construction manager, GilbaneBuilding Company, the design team had to locate the appropriate type of granite: a flawless, reflective, deep ebony stone. Eventually, a compromise was reachedagainst Lins wishesunder which a U.S. flag and a statue of three servicemen were dedicated near the wall in 1984. But if the challenges seemed insurmountable, no one expressed any fears. Many people were shocked that of the 1,421 designs submitted by number in a blind competition, the final design had turned out to be the idea of a 21-year-old undergraduate student named Maya Linan Asian-American woman. He had been a war correspondent during World War II and had reported from Vietnam during Americas early involvement. VVMF met the prospective jurors and scrutinized their credentials. Design and Layout Maya Lin conceived her design as creating a park within a park a quiet protected place unto itself, yet harmonious with the overall plan of Constitution Gardens. The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. endstream endobj 916 0 obj <>/Metadata 76 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 909 0 R/StructTreeRoot 158 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 917 0 obj <>/Font<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 918 0 obj <>stream They found that they were very real people who did many of the same things they did, recalled Spreiregen. https://www.history.com/news/6-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-vietnam-veterans-memorial, 6 Things You May Not Know About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Vietnam Womens Memorial was established to honor the women who risked their lives to serve their country. To suggest we are on the edge of defeat is to yield to unreasonable pessimism. With its popularity among the American people has also come critical acclaim; in 2007 the American Institute of Architects named it tenth on the list of Americas Favorite Architecture. What was once a controversial, disturbing reminder of an unpopular war finally has become a cherished place of healing. On the other side, the same thing was occurring, with even more inflated numbersvastly more. Every day, park rangers collect and tag the items, noting which wall panel each item was left beneath. Two younger monks poured a mix of gasoline and jet fuel over him and, as the three had planned, set fire to him. Vietnam is a very important war in the story of Americas history. There is no distinction between officers and enlisted men, between heroic medal winners and those who died before their colleagues got to know themthey are simply named, in order. What symbolism did Maya Lin achieve by creating this memorial? The monument's location, stretching between the Lincoln and Washington monuments, adds to its air of respect, says journalist Laura Palmer, who was a reporter in Saigon in the early 1970s. The following week, Kurt Anderson recapped the festivities for TIME magazine: Saturdays three-hour parade down Constitution Avenue, led by [Gen. William] Westmoreland, was the vets own show. Black walls, the universal color of shame and sorrow and degradation.. And I wanted to say, Theyre going to cry.". Why was the Vietnam Financial costs had risen to $30 billion a year. Lin went on to design the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, and Yale Universitys Womens Table, which honors the first female students admitted to her alma mater. From the very beginning I often wondered, if it had not been an anonymous entry 1026 but rather an entry by Maya Lin, would I have been selected? she would later write. Color meant nothing on the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam. Opposition to design and compromise The selected design was very controversial, in particular, its unconventional design, its black color and its lack of ornamentation. Photo by William Bill Lecky. The Vietnam Memorial, located in Washington D.C., is a sacred symbol to honor the countless brave men and women who sacrificed their lives during the Vietnam War. Some felt that the money to build a memorial could be better spent delivering the many services veterans needed. But I was always impressed with the example my parents set.. The U.S., possessing the largest foreign military presence, essentiallydirected the war from 1965 to 1968. In the end, the quarry in India was selected. John F. Kennedy discusses Vietnam in 1963. It was designed by American architect Maya Lin. Since July 3, 1863, there have been many calls for Confederate flags to be returned to their home states, and in particular, for the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment flag return to Virginia. By 1979, the country was beginning to have more positive feelings toward Vietnam veterans. Volunteers, Vietnam vets, family members of the deceased and employees of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund read the names each day over four consecutive days. The first fundraising letter was signed by Bob Hope. It was the reminder that the men who died in Vietnam all had faces and names, as well as friends and families who loved them dearly. I am tired of hearing it called such by you. Initially the (Senators) staff was split, recalled Monica Healy, a long-time Mathias aide, on whether Mathias should take the lead and support the efforts to build the Memorial. Courtesy of the JFK Library. After 25 years, the way in which visitors have embraced and cherished this work has been a great gift to me, she wrote in the program for the 25th anniversary ceremony. The design competition also needed to be able to attract design competitors.. The war became the central rallying point of a burgeoning youth counterculture, and the coming years would see many such demonstrations, dividing generations and families.. On Christmas Eve, in Saigon, a VC set off an explosive at the American officers billet in the old Brink Hotel, killing two Americans and 51 South Vietnamese. Within a few years, he began calling for a memorial to help with the healing process for the roughly 3 million Americans who served in the conflict. WebUpon first glance the Vietnam Memorial, also called the Black Gash of Shame, doesnt look like much. The hope is that the creation of the Memorial will begin a healing process, Doubek wrote. Vietnam: A Controversial War Then, on March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese attacked across the 17th parallel with 14 divisions and additional individual regiments. Because the U.S. failed to achieve a military victory and the Republic of South Vietnam was ultimately taken over by North Vietnam, the Vietnam experience became known as the only war America ever lost. It remains a very controversial topic that continues to affect political and military decisions today. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has been an issue of debate since its beginning, a debate that is far from worthwhile. The winning designwas the work of Maya Ying Lin of Athens, Ohio, a 21-year-old senior at Yale University. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Timing is everything, and enough time had passed. No American air strikes came to aid the overstretched South Vietnamese, despite Nixons earlier assurances to Thieu. With such an overwhelming response to the competition, logistics became an issue. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The idea for a memorial seemed like a natural extension of his work and his growing desire to find a way to help veterans. Ike may not have seen the message, but at any rate he was focused on establishing NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) as a wall against additional communist advances in Europe and was intent on securing Frances participation in NATO. They were also keenly aware that the legislation made the Memorials design subject to the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), and the Secretary of the Interior. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt! In 1973 a third Vietnam war begana continuation, actuallybetween North and South Vietnam but without significant U.S. involvement. WebWhy was the Vietnam womens memorial so significant? The Vietnam Wall Controversy - About - Overview The Power of a Name | City Journal On April 30, 1980, the Senate approved legislation authorizing the Memorial, followed by approval in the House on May 20, 1980. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. WebAnswer (1 of 4): The Vietnam war was controversial because the United States let international geopolitics drive its policy in a regional conflict. Adding to Americans disillusionment was the race issue. You had to live through that period to really understand it. It claimed,In one day of ferocious fighting we had eliminated from the field of battle a total of 919 American troops, had knocked out 22 enemy vehicles and 13 helicopters, and had captured one M-14 rifle. Marine losses actually were 45 dead, 203 wounded, and a few vehicles damaged. President Johnson, watching the broadcast, said, If weve lost Walter Cronkite, weve lost the country. In May, Johnson announced he would not run for reelection. However, polls consistently showed the majority of Americans supported the war. Ho attempted to contact Eisenhower to discuss Vietnam but received no answer. Over 500,000 wounded, Explore articles from the HistoryNet archives about Vietnam War. North Vietnam Both sides were fighting a war of attrition, so communist commanders sent Hanoi battle reports that often were pure fantasy. How the Vietnam Veterans Memorial went from an art Waiting meant they would never reach their dedication deadline of November 11, 1982. North Vietnamese officers, after the war, said the only thing they feared was an American-led invasion of the north, but the U.S. was not going to risk starting World War III, and at the time that seemed to loom as a distinct possibility. He cited the growing coalition was a prime example of its not what you know, its who you know. These people, though a small group, were able to reach out to their networks and their extensive contacts to recruit the type of expertise and support required for such a mammoth initiative. It was a war fought between the communist Viet Cong from North Vietnam, and the Lin moved to Washington and immediately became part of an internal struggle for control of the design. (An American medic treated him during World War II, probably saving his life.) The first cut was further reduced to 90 by midday Wednesday. The controversy about the wall reflected Americas feelings at that time regarding our involvement in Vietnam. The peasants resented being forced from their ancestral lands, and consolidating them gave the VC better targets. After working alone for six months, Doubek was joined on the staff by Kathy Kielich, who served as the Office Manager throughout the project. His research had proven that post-traumatic stress was real and had shone a light on the challenges faced by a significant number of military veterans. The series of events began on Wednesday, November 10, 1982, and culminated with a service at the National Cathedral on Sunday, November14. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. And that message got through to me.. One needs no artistic education to see this memorial design for what it is, remarked one critic, a black scar, in a hole, hidden as if out of shame. In a letter to President Ronald Reagan, 27 Republican congressmen called it a political statement of shame and dishonor., Secretary of the Interior James Watt, who administered the site, sided with the critics and blocked the project until changes were made. The women soldiers the nurses suffered too. Over several tense weeks, more debate followed, until the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) gave their approval for a statue and flag in concept, pending suitable placement of those elements. To created credibility for the fledgling effort, they formed the National Sponsoring Committee, which included then-first lady Rosalynn Carter, former President Gerald Ford, Bob Hope, future first lady Nancy Reagan, Gen. William C. Westmoreland, USA, Vietnam veteran author James Webb, and Adm. James J. Stockdale, USN. Our country needed something symbolic to help heal our wounds.. The first American fatality was Air Force Technical Sergeant Richard B. Fitzgibbon, Jr., killed June 8, 1956. His idea attracted a group of like-minded veterans who realized that creating such a memorial would depend on their own initiative. To its own surprise, Hanoi found its forces advancing rapidly toward Saigon, realized victory was at hand, and renamed the operation the Ho Chi Minh Offensive. Military personnel, including nurses, were warned not to wear their uniforms in the States. When they returned home from serving their country, there was no national show of gratitude. But instead of enthusiasm, he received skepticism. The senior staffers were against it. He was an excellent partner and fundraiser. Mathias knew the legislative process. The choice of the lettering style Optima, designed by Hermann Zapf was a font Lin selected after considering a multitude of options.The font Optima seemed to fit that desire to match an almost printed quality with a hand-cut feel. North and South Vietnam were combined into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976. Maya Lin was practically a kid when her design was selected to become the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. . why did Rome destroy Carthage? : r/HistoriansAnswered Vietnam War Memorial Research Paper - 409 Words | 123 Help Me Most, like the Lincoln Memorial, were competitions between select designers. An ad hoc group of veterans had scheduled a meeting to try to use Vietnam Veterans Week to generate publicity for veterans need, and Scruggs thought that would be a good time to announce his plans. And if they themselves didnt know how to help, they knew someone who did. But, say those opposed, the men represent the women, the men represent all soldiers . Everything has to be thought out and in place before the launch button is pressed.. Why was the Vietnam War so Controversial? In the fall of 1980, VVMF announced the national design competition open to any U.S. citizen, who was over 18 years old. He could still picture the faces of his 12 buddies, but the passing years were making it harder and harder to remember their names. The original design proposal called for all of the names to be individually hand-chiseled in the stone, but it was soon realized the time and money it would take to do that were impractical. One day in October 1969, fifteen members of the Americal Division wore black armbands while they were on patrol, the symbol antiwar protestors wore in the states. When the 18-year-old Scruggs volunteered to enlist in the Army in 1968, debate surrounding Vietnam was escalating. The Memorials walls point to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, thus bringing the Memorial into the historical context of our country. The selected design then had to go through Federal agency approval and development into finished plans. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | 3033 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300 | Arlington VA 22201 | 202.393.0090 North Vietnam, had by then established a presence in Laos and developed the Ho Chi Minh Trail through that country in order to resupply and reinforce its forces in South Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh had been educated in Paris. On November 11, 1984, the servicemen statue and a U.S. flag were formally added to the memorial, and the combined monument was placed under the control of the National Park Service. As a first step, VVMF retained architect Paul Spreiregen to serve as the Professional Advisor for the competition. Some in the military saw the somber tone of the memorial as anti-war. Everyone wanted to join the effort. Having raised the necessary cash, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund next held a design contest. The insurgency was called the National Liberation Front (PLF); however, its soldiers and operatives became more commonly known by their opponents as the Viet Cong (VC), short for Vietnamese Communists. For weeks, he obsessed about the idea of building a memorial. Based on a program the British had employed successfully against insurgents in Malaya, it didnt work in Vietnam. They were also the most collegial people, who would deliberate intensely but never argue or posture, Spreiregen remembered. ), For three solid months, Spreiregen, Mosley, Woods, and Doubek planned the competition. His political party, the Democrats, had been blamed for China falling to communism; withdrawing from Vietnam could hurt them in the 1964 elections. The World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. The color black was chosen, not as a symbol of defeat, but to symbolically represent the earth. No one wanted the war to happen in the first place, so having a memorial was a constant reminder of the war no one wanted . His successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, inherited the Vietnam situation. Each contestant sealed his or her name in an envelope and taped it to the back of the submission. 16 The Vietnam War had divided the American nation. WebThe In Memory plaque, dedicated in 2004, is near The Three Servicemen and honors the men and women who died as a result of their service in Vietnam. (Some in the North Vietnamese government thought the course of war in the south was unwise, but they were overruled.) Lin describes the Memorial thus: I went to see the site. Congress swiftly passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that removed most restrictions from the president in regards to Vietnam. Others questioned the intent of the Memorial. Opines that the vietnam war memorial was constructed for a noble purpose and is an historic reminder of how many men were lost. Earlier, Wild Bill Donovan, head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the World War II forerunner of the CIA, had also advised that the U.S. had nothing to gain and much to lose by becoming involved in what was then French Indochina. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. We are all equal in combat. They responded quickly, recapturing lost ground and decimating an enemy who had finally come out to fight in the open. Communist losses were extremely heavy. Her only son Robert, an Army draftee, was killed by a land mine on his 21st birthday, June 6, 1968. However, the initial hostility has faded, and the monument has since become a near-universally treasured piece of public sculpture. Some 80,000 Vietnamese from the south had moved to the north after the Geneva Agreements were signed. The names are inscribed in the chronological order of their dates of casualty, showing the war as a series of individual human sacrifices and giving each name a special place in history. On November 8, 1979, VVMF held a press conference in which Mathias, Warner, and several others announced the introduction of legislation to grant two acres of land near the Lincoln Memorial for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Many people commended Lins winning design, with a former ambassador to South Why was black granite chosen for the Vietnam Memorial? Controversy Lin and VVMF eventually selectedthe Cooper-Lecky Partnership as the architect-of-record, with Lin as the projects design consultant. Scruggs was raised in a rural Maryland town between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. His mother was a waitress; his father a milkman. The jury included: architects Pietro Belluschi and Harry Weese; landscape architects Hideo Sasaki and Garrett Eckbo; sculptors Costantino Nivola, Richard Hunt, and James Rosati; and Grady Clay, a journalist and editor of Landscape Architecture magazine. Eventually, a compromise was reached with the commissioning of a traditional statue depicting three servicemen with a flag to stand at the entrance to the memorial. Better armed than ever before, thanks to increased aid from the Soviet Union, they employed tanks for the first time. Post-war, the French tried to re-establish control but faced organized opposition from the Viet Minh (short for Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi, or League for the Independence of Vietnam), led by Ho Chi Minh and Giap. Quizzes - Vietnam Veterans Memorial | Facts, Designer, & Controversy History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Vietnam Veterans Spreiregen recommended having a multi-disciplinary panel: two architects, two landscape architects, two sculptors, and one generalist with extensive knowledge about art, architecture, and design. CHECK OUT: Vietnam Veterans Memorial Infographic. Marinesnear Van Truong, from the VC point of view. Similarly, casualty totals among the VC and NVA and the number of dead and wounded civilians in North Vietnam cannot be determined exactly.