What Is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial?
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a long, submerged wall with 58,000 etched names of soldiers who died in the Vietnam War!
What Makes It Beautiful?
The Vietnam War was a turning point in American attitudes toward war! No longer was there a prevailing view that we had to band together to defeat a common enemy; this was a war against Russia that took place in Vietnam! The horrors of this war still continue to this day, as people in Vietnam and Cambodia still run the risk of being blown up by landmines scattered throughout the country. Veterans still suffer from the residual effects of Agent Orange exposure. It was a horrible war, and so this list of names is all the more impactful! Each name only takes up a few inches of space in the vast, stark blackness of the wall. Especially in the moonlight, these names embody the cost of war, forever standing out against its bleakness!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the Friends of the National Mall!
- Donate to the Trust for the National Mall!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
5 Henry Bacon Drive NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
Whenever the mood strikes you!