The U.S. National WWII Monument sucks ass...
 

I went there for the first, and last, time today... I honestly think that they were trying to make the most God awful monutment they could. It's so fucking sterile, and lacks the poignancy of the wall or the Korean War memorial. It honestly feels like going into a government building... a government building filled with fountains. Never go there when you have to pee. It's unfortunate too, there are some damn good state and military memorials, for exammple the Marine memorial... and supposedly Roanoke Virginia has an incredible one, and than they have this travesty of modern art. Alright... I think I'm done.

lets go masterbait to the memorial

[quote="St@tIc":a8570]lets go masterbait to the memorial[/quote:a8570]
[url="http://www.dictionary.com"]http://www.dictionary.com[/url]

I think the Roanoke Virginia one has, at least, a replica over the Invasion of Normandy. I'm not sure if there's more to it though.

I've seen pictures and it looks amazing.

Annapolis Has one to the navy...

and although you are entitled to your opinion I have to say that as a person who has a degree in architecture you need to appreciate what and who the design was intended for. The vietnam wall has been done so many times over on so many other memorials. Vietnam was an era of rebellion and inner conflict and reflection. The wall captures those themes very well. WWII was not... WWII was about unity, support and many more things. Everything about the 1940 was different, people were different, their idealistic views were different, etc... etc...

Although I dont like everything about the memorial I still see a great deal of symbolism throughout the entire site. It evoked emotion from plenty of people while I was there. Also keep in mind the location of the site... a national memorial along the central axis of the mall had to conform to the urban context of its site. Other memorials such as the vietnam are off to the side, so they have a little bit more design freedom. So please next time you visit something like that... ditch the 15 year old "this sucks" attitude and think a little bit more critically about your own opinion. "there were no bathrooms" is not a good enough reason for me to denounce a memorial (not a monument)

this is my local memorial thing, it dominates the entire landscape, quite moving.

[img]http://www.rossfamily.plus.com/historicmedway/chatham/images/memorialcentre.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rossfamily.plus.com/historicmedway/chatham/images/memorialside.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.kinnethmont.co.uk/1939-1945_files/thos-ingram/chatham-ww1-memorial.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.kinnethmont.co.uk/1939-1945_files/thos-ingram/chatham-ww2-panels2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.kinnethmont.co.uk/1939-1945_files/thos-ingram/chatham.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rossfamily.plus.com/historicmedway/chatham/images/memorialgatesinside.jpg[/img]

The names of 8,500 of those who died in The Great War are located on plaques on the central memorial, which bears the inscription "In honour of the Navy and to the abiding memory of those ranks and ratings of this port who laid down their lives in the defence of the Empire and have no other grave than the sea".

After the Second World War the memorial was extended by the addition of the outer wall, which forms a semi-circle on the side of the memorial away from the town to give protection against the wind. 10,112 names are commemorated on the fifty plaques on the extension

^^ that's nice ^^

You're right... I don't have a degree in architecture, but my complaint is the same complaint that even those with degrees in architecture have. That this whole fucking place is too sterile. And who the fuck are you to deride my opinion? I don't like it, it feels more like a water park than a memorial. And I never made a complaint about the lack of bathrooms, that was a comment on the overuse of fountains... douche. I really wanted to see the memorial, I didn't go there with a "15 year old 'this sucks' attitude". I was simply disappointed with what I saw when I got there, sorry if I didn't use a vocabulary grandiose enough for you to take me seriously, but I like to keep things simple.

double post

i dont give a fuck if you says it sucks. my grandpa's on it and i couldnt be happier that he served. i think it looks good, never actualy been there (the memorial) but i'm going later. i think it's cool that if my grandpa had lived longer and gone with us, he could look over teh wwII, korea and vietnam memorials and truly say he had done it all.

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! It's MY opinion... you guys don't have to share it. And I don't have any problem with WWII veterans, both my grandfathers served, I had a great uncle wounded in the Bulge, and another killed in the Pacific... but I don't like the memorial. Is there a problem with my not liking the memorial... or do I have to like it, and if I don't it also means I hate veterans. Seriously, tell me... if I have to hate veterans because I don't like this memorial, I'd like to know now... that way I can kill myself before I become a veteran.

I think its designed really well, but you're right. It does need a little more "Shizamm"

...ooookay.

Please go read about the monument and what the different aspects of it symbolize and represent, then bitch. The depth and inclusiveness alone are amazing.

exactly. I'm sorry that you think fountains make you want to jump in the "lazy Lagoon" or go flying down the "Straight Drop From Hell water slide".