Like the conflict itself, the planning of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
stirred great emotion and discord. But today, the finished memorial
stands as a powerful tribute to the heroism of the nation’s fallen in
Vietnam. To commemorate the memorial's 25th anniversary, the U.S.
Department of the Interior Museum, along with the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Fund and the National Park Service, is featuring an exhibition
titled "Vietnam Veterans Memorial: America Responds.” The exhibition runs at main Interior from Nov. 9 through Memorial Day 2008. It
highlights the history of the memorial's creation and includes a
selection of the mementos visitors have left at the memorial wall.
A
group of veterans seeking recognition from the American people for
those who served in Vietnam led the grassroots effort to create the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The veterans also sought to separate the individuals serving
in the military during the Vietnam era from the U.S. policy during the
war. They believed that such an approach provided a means of national
reconciliation.
Jan C. Scruggs, a decorated infantryman, from
Because of Scruggs’ advocacy, the memorial quickly received
congressional support. Draft legislation introduced the idea that the memorial should
contain the names of all who died in
In 1981, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund held a national
design competition. The judges, a panel of architects, sculptors, and an author
on books on Vietnam, awarded first place to Maya Ying Lin, a graduate student.
Her design for the memorial was a granite wall engraved with the names of the
fallen.
Opposition to Lin’s design was immediate and represented a cross section of society. Most criticism focused on the abstract nature of the design. Veterans who opposed the design noted that the memorial contained no recognizable image that related to their war experiences. Tom Wolfe’s op-ed article in The Washington Post even referred to it as a “Monument to Jane Fonda,” known for her activism against the Vietnam War.
From its construction to the present day, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has differed from other war tributes. It has had the unique ability to act as both a memorial to individuals and a tribute to their collective sacrifice. It has also offered a common ground where all Americans could come together and honor those who served and died.
Beginning with a veteran who tossed his Purple Heart medal into the foundation concrete during construction, veterans, family members and friends began to visit the memorial and leave tributes to individuals. Ranging from photographs and cherished mementoes to articles of clothing, these objects at the memorial offer healing and closure to those who deposit them. They also serve as a moving reminder to nation of the impact of the sacrifice on generations of Americans.
The National Park Service now receives these tributes and
maintains them as part of the collective history of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial. To date, visitors to the memorial have deposited more than 100,000
items at the memorial. Selections from these items are part of the