The proposed Vietnam memorial was a simple black wall, starkly sunk into the ground in a V shape, with the names of dead and missing American servicemen and women engraved into it. Maya Lin, has gone on to become a respected architect and artist, with a studio in New York City. We are all equal in combat. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened on the National Mall in Washington, DC on 13 November, 1982. 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. Every major engagement between U.S. forces and VC or NVA was an American victory, and the casualty (body count) ratio always showed significantly larger casualties for the communist forces than for the Americans. It was one of the most resounding defeats in all of military historyuntil it became a victory. As VVMF focused on fundraising, Sens. That would have made any negotiation with Ho politically ticklish. Mathias and Warner continually stressed that their objective was to provide the country with a symbol for reconciliation. Although Americas war in Vietnam failed to salvage the Republic of South Vietnam, it bought time in which neighboring countries improved their economies and defensive capabilities, and it may have discouraged greater communist activism in places like the Philippines. The design aroused a great deal of controversy, reflecting the lack of resolution of the national conflicts over the war as well as the lack of consensus over Everyone wanted to join the effort. The ceasefire allowed Nixon to declare peace with honor, but no provisions existed for enforcing the terms of the accords. The 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. All of these items are stored in a museum-quality facility in Landover, Maryland. Color should mean nothing now., Sideys piece continued: At the end of five hours and much shouting, General Mike Davison, retired, who led the Cambodian incursion in 1970, proposed a compromise: add the figure of a soldier in front of the long granite walls that will bear the 57,709 names of those who died or are missing and the tribute to all who served. . Required fields are marked *. William Jayne, who had been wounded in Vietnam, volunteered to head up public relations activities. It depicts three uniformed women with a wounded soldier and serves as a reminder of the important support and caregiving roles that women played in the war as nurses, air traffic controllers, communication specialists, etc. I heard that those present agreed to double their contributions after Taylor completed her remarks, Scruggs said. Each contestant sealed his or her name in an envelope and taped it to the back of the submission. They werent nice. Vietnam WebAnswer (1 of 4): The Vietnam war was controversial because the United States let international geopolitics drive its policy in a regional conflict. When Lin asked how many Smiths would be on The Wall, the team realized how important the chronological listing was to the design. And her design was Others questioned the intent of the Memorial. She is still best known, however, for that memorial design that earned her a B at Yale. Scruggs was raised in a rural Maryland town between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. His mother was a waitress; his father a milkman. Im the News & Social Editor at HistoryNet and a World War II researcher with an unparalleled affinity for Sir Winston Churchill, Spitfires, and Michigan football. Because Warner was from Virginia and Mathias from Maryland, the two had worked together on many regional issues. Her design only earned a B in her class at Yale, so Lin was shocked when competition officials came to her dormitory room in May 1981 and informed the 21-year-old that she had won the design and the $20,000 first prize. One of the lingering legacies of the Vietnam War is the widespread belief in America that the media cost us the war in Vietnam. Images such as the burning monk; South Vietnamese Police Chief Lt. Col. Nguyen Ngoc Loan about to pull the trigger of a pistol pointed at the head of a bound VC prisoner; of a naked young girl running crying down a road after an American napalm strike that left her badly burnedthese images and others became seared into the minds of Americans on the homefront, and in those of civilians in allied nations such as Australia. It would be a way to honor the veterans and to help themand the countryheal. One Caucasian, one African-American, and one Hispanic, they appear to be sweating in the blistering wet heat of Southeast Asia. It was Maya Lin was practically a kid when her design was selected to become the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It Doesn't Take A Hero. As a first step, VVMF retained architect Paul Spreiregen to serve as the Professional Advisor for the competition. WebWhen the men returned home from war, they were not greeted with pride but with uneasiness. But, say those opposed, the men represent the women, the men represent all soldiers . Financial costs had risen to $30 billion a year. What they did need, however, was an acceptable location for the Memorial and enough support to push the idea through various governmental committees and agencies. They would include a big National Salute to Vietnam Veterans at Veterans Day. Its mirror-like surface reflects the images of the surrounding trees, lawns and monuments. Seven more such immolations occurred that year. Courtesy of the JFK Library. On August 2, two North Vietnamese torpedo boats in broad daylight engaged USS Maddox, which was gathering communications intelligence in the Gulf of Tonkin. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) People of all ages got to explore a special helicopter at the nations second largest Vietnam veterans memorial on Saturday. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. With permit in hand, Doubek instructedto commence construction immediately. To achieve this effect she chose polished black granite for the walls. Quizzes - Vietnam Veterans Memorial | Facts, Designer, & Controversy The Gold Star Mothers is a group of mothers whose sons or daughters have died serving their country. Because of this, Mathias appointed her to manage the details and to work with Scruggs, Doubek, and Wheeler on the legislation for the memorial. hb````f{a`CC Lin, the designer, admits the wall doesn't glorify the war, which many Americans considered unworthy of the sacrifice it required. Rip it apart.. In November 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated before a crowd of thousands of people. A flower is laid on the names of fallen troops on "The Wall" of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington on Nov. 12, 2018. 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. I mean, we won: The Century-Long Battle Over This Confederate Flag. (Ten times as many Vietnamese had fled the north, where the Communist Party was killing off its rivals, seizing property, and oppressing the large Catholic population.) Intellectually and emotionally, America could embrace the idea. One film that came out early that year,The Deer Hunter,explored the effects of war on three friends, their families and a tight-knit community. Over 500,000 wounded, Explore articles from the HistoryNet archives about Vietnam War. Within months after he recovered from his wounds and returned to his unit, the American public was learning the details of the events at My Lai. Although differences in the two bills required a Conference Committee to meet, on July 1, at a White House Rose Garden ceremony, President Jimmy Carter signed legislation providing two acres for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. Some opponents simply did not like the fact that Lin was a young student, a woman, and of Asian descent; how in the world could she possibly know how to honor the service of the Vietnam veteran? Kennedy saw American efforts in Southeast Asia almost as a crusade and believed increasing the military advisor program, coupled with political reform in South Vietnam, would strengthen the south and bring peace. Why was the Vietnam Memorial so controversial He had been a war correspondent during World War II and had reported from Vietnam during Americas early involvement. For weeks, heated discussions took place around the topic of who should be part of the design jury. Many Americans saw the Vietnam Memorial as a new, ugly reminder of the war their country had lost. %PDF-1.5 % Everyone wanted to join the effort. 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. Here's how a controversial work of art healed America All Rights Reserved. After the dedication, Scruggs and Wheeler walked together along the upper side of the Memorial ground, near Constitution Avenue. Below, a slideshow from the memorial. We reserve the right to edit as appropriate, delete profane, harassing, abusive and spam comments or posts, and block repeat offenders. And that message got through to me.. Holding a competition is like launching a rocket. As the owner of her own New York City architectural studio, she designs a wide variety of structures from houses to museums to chapels. Scruggs and Doubek realized that Cupp could be instrumental in helping communicate the all-important personal, emotional side of the healing story. It was decided that VVMF would hold a design competition, open to any American citizen over 18 years of age. For weeks, he obsessed about the idea of building a memorial. Postwar casualties not eligible for inscription on the wall are honored instead with an onsite plaque. Lin moved to Washington and immediately became part of an internal struggle for control of the design. On April 27, 1979, Doubek incorporated the fledgling entity, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, and Scruggs asked him to be an officer and director. Whenever 18-year-old .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Maya Lin walked through Yale Universitys Memorial Rotunda, she couldnt resist passing her fingers over the marble walls engraved with the names of those alumni who died in service of their country. My background was relatively modest, he said. The hope is that the creation of the Memorial will begin a healing process, Doubek wrote. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. As they forged a partnership with Mathias and his staff, VVMF also set out to establish other key relationships. WebThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. Not even three years after the memorial opened, the New York Times reported it was something of a surprise is how quickly America has overcome the divisions caused by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.. The country was trying to emerge from an economic recession, and the recent military failure of Operation Eagle Claw, the abortive attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran, was fresh in Americans minds. In August of 1981, VVMF selected a building company and architecture firm to develop the plans and build Lins design. Some in the military saw the somber tone of the memorial as anti-war. Although thousands of people were there, It was so very quiet, Wheeler recalled. Why was the Vietnam Memorial so controversial? endstream endobj startxref Veterans groups decried the lack of patriotic or heroic symbols often seen on war memorials and How do you build a monument to a war that was more tragic than triumphant? Even white troops were beginning to protest. Review: Hi-Point JXP 10mm An Overgrown Yeet Canon Thats a Lot of Fun! The division was supposed to be temporary: elections were to be held in both sections in 1956 to determine the countrys future. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Similarly, casualty totals among the VC and NVA and the number of dead and wounded civilians in North Vietnam cannot be determined exactly. Vietnam is a very important war in the story of Americas history. History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Vietnam Veterans Color meant nothing on the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam. Scruggs would never forget the awful scene. This grew into the operation known as Rolling Thunder that began on March 2, 1965, and continued to November 2, 1968. In previous war, progress and setbacks could be shown on maps; large enemy units could be engaged and destroyed. On the off chance that military and political analysts are right, in the next few months we must test the enemys intentions, in case this is indeed his last big gasp before negotiations. 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. The construction process hits a snag when relentless and powerful critics, led by Tom Carhart, find an unsavory political message in the supposedly apolitical winning design -- ultimately forcing a compromise, the addition of a flag and a statue with three soldiers to the Wall. The design Lin envisioned listed the names chronologically by date of casualty. But the meeting gave Scruggs his first ally: former Air Force intelligence officer and attorney Robert Doubek, who thought a memorial was a good idea. When the winning Vietnam Veterans Memorial design was dedicated on November 13, 1982, a storm of controversy followed. After meeting with the VVMF officers and advisors, Warner volunteered to help the organization raise the seed money needed to launch the fund raising campaign. Four of the eight were themselves veterans of previous wars. READ MORE: Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They Returned? Johnson wanted to focus on instituting Great Society programs at home, but Vietnam was a snake he did not dare let go of. 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. I am always incredibly moved and heartened, especially when a veteran tells me that The Wall has helped them in some wayit could not mean more to me. Vietnam War Memorial News footage showed the fighting in Saigon and Hue. However, the initial hostility has faded, and the monument has since become a near-universally treasured piece of public sculpture. Learn more about featured topics of the Vietnam War and Vietnam Era. Listed chronologically by their KIA or MIA date are the names of the dead and missing. It ended with communist victory in April 1975. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) advised that was not the caseAmerica had a strong military presence in the Pacific that would serve as a deterrent. It was designed by American architect Maya Lin. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. Learn More Vietnam: A History of America's Controversial War Vietnam Memorial By the end of 1967, there were 540,000 American troops in Vietnam, and the military draft was set to call up 302,000 young men in the coming year, an increase of 72,000 over 1967. Veterans groups decried the lack of patriotic or heroic symbols often seen on war memorials and complained that it seemingly honored only the fallen and not the living veterans. When VVMF announced the selection of Lins design, the initial public reaction was generally positive. That bothered him. Crowd at the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1982. Spreiregen wrote, I saw this as a needed opportunity to honor the service and lives of the soldiers we had lost and do so by running a model competition., Arthur Mosley headed the site selection task group and was assisted by John Woods, a structural engineer, who had been permanently disabled in a helicopter crash in Vietnam. Controversy Warner, at the time married to Elizabeth Taylor, had strong connections to both Hollywood and the corporate world. Others: 80,000 plus, 200,000400,000 civilians United States: 540,000 Some public officials voiced their displeasure, calling the wall a black gash of shame. Both the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam (ARVN) and the VC used torture, to extract information or to cowl opposition. Ho Chi Minh had been educated in Paris. American drawdown continued, with only 43,000 personnel left in-country by mid-August. It would end in disaster for both sides. But instead of enthusiasm, he received skepticism.