why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial?

When the time came, however, Diem resisted the elections; the more populous north would certainly win. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. With permit in hand, Doubek instructedto commence construction immediately. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a tribute to the dead of the United States ' longest, most unpopular, and least successful war. The Gold Star Mothers is a group of mothers whose sons or daughters have died serving their country. The walls are inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 men and women . On July 9, 1964, China had announced it would step in if the U.S. attacked North Vietnam, as China had done in the Korean War. A cadre was drawn from those who went north; they were trained, equipped and sent back to the south to aid in organizing and guiding the insurgency. 3) It provoked antiwar sentiment. By the end of the first afternoon, one of the jurors, Harry Weese, returned to our impromptu conference lounge and told me, Paul, there are two designs out there that could do it.. 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 what constituted an appropriate memorial at the end of the 20th century. Sturken, 322; Anne Swartz, American Art After September 11: A Consideration of the Twin Towers, Symploke 14, nos. 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. We didnt have any space, but I liked their idea and told them I would volunteer to help with all that I could.. Once there was no more room for conflictthe memorials form, upon dedication, was no longer negotiablethe front in this culture war moved elsewhere. American intelligence knew an attack was coming, though the Army had downplayed a New York Times report of large communist troop movements heading south. First Inaugural Address (January 20, 1981), Ronald Wilson Reagan, Miller Center For Public Affairs, University of Virginia, accessed April 21, 2011, https://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/detail/3407. They really worked well together and were the driving force. It is a V-shaped polished black granite wall that runs 246 feet long. Many who visit leave behind items in memoriam to those that have served. Out of the nearly fifteen hundred entries in the competition, the eight jurors of the selection committee unanimously chose Maya Lins design on May 6, 1981. Then, on March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese attacked across the 17th parallel with 14 divisions and additional individual regiments. More than 150,000 veterans, families, loved ones and friends made plans to attend. 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. Every 15 minutes, there was a pause for prayer. Others: 80,000 plus, 200,000400,000 civilians The first cut was further reduced to 90 by midday Wednesday. American troops had won every major battle they fought, and General Nguyen Van Thieu had come to power in South Vietnam in September; he would remain in office until 1975, bringing a new measure of stability to the government, though he could not end its endemic corruption. Vietnam veteran Jan Scruggs, the individual to first pitch the idea of a memorial, used $2,800 of his own money to begin the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund in 1979, according to History. I heard there was a group of serious veterans, not just people getting together to have a beer in the evening, but a group that was serious about getting together to address the problems of the veterans.. After working alone for six months, Doubek was joined on the staff by Kathy Kielich, who served as the Office Manager throughout the project. Maya Lins original competition submission for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Ultimately, one of the greatest challenges was how to get that many names on the wall panels in such a short period of time. 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. In late spring 1969, American and South . By 1979, the country was beginning to have more positive feelings toward Vietnam veterans. There is considerable debate over whether he was primarily nationalist or communist, but he was not especially anti-Western. Although thousands of people were there, It was so very quiet, Wheeler recalled. You had to live through that period to really understand it. Daniel Libeskind. Some felt that the money to build a memorial could be better spent delivering the many services veterans needed. Please leave evidence I will report anything other than this 1 See answer Advertisement lheduardomarques Usually it refers to the period when the United States and other members of the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) joined the forces with the Republic of South Vietnam to contest communist forces, comprised of South Vietnamese guerrillas and regular-force units, generally known as Viet Cong (VC), and . Letters came from moms, dads, grandparents, sons and daughters with heartfelt notes accompanied by checks and dollar bills. Vietnam: A History of America's Controversial War Seven more such immolations occurred that year. 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. In the Rose Garden of the White House, immediately following President Jimmy Carters signing of the bill, Scruggs explained to the press the vision of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the non-profit organization that collected and administered the funds for the memorial. Medals, toys, flowers, photographsanything and everything is left at The Wall as family and friends seek to remember their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. Thus, it is unsurprising that the first skirmish of the culture wars of the 1980s can be traced back to the public debate that broke out in reaction to Maya Lins design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden.12. His successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, inherited the Vietnam situation. Mathias also knew the country was ready, Healy recalled. On April 27, 1979, Doubek incorporated the fledgling entity, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, and Scruggs asked him to be an officer and director. The eldest juror, Pietro Belluschi, took a full day, said Spreiregen. Confused times need simple forms., According to the description of the design concept: The jury chose a design which will stimulate thought rather than contain it.. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund | 3033 Wilson Blvd, Suite 300 | Arlington VA 22201 | 202.393.0090 14. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Yet, to say the media cost America victory in Vietnam is vastly oversimplifying a very complex situation. Using his findings, he testified at the Senate hearing on the Veterans Health Care Amendments Act of 1977, with the hope that he could help veterans gain access to the services and support they needed. The 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. Their military experience meant they had contacts far and wide, at all levels of all professions, within government and the private sector. The 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. On April 30, their tanks entered Saigon. Over 1 million wounded, 50,000 plus civilian In response to the designs submitted to these various competitions (generated by famed architects, artists, and members of the general public alike), conflicting interpretations once again revolved around notions of elitism versus populismharkening back to the language of the controversy over Lins memorial.14 In a 2002 debate with architect Daniel Libeskind on the matter, New Republic literary editor Leon Wieseltier commented, There is something a little grotesque in the interpretation of Ground Zero as a lucky break for art. Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Washington DC Even white troops were beginning to protest. Though its location on federally owned property and its maintenance by the National Park Service might imply otherwise, the impetus to create the Vietnam Veterans Memorial came entirely from the private sector and from one man in particular: Jan Scruggs, a Vietnam veteran who had been wounded in the line of duty. He was an excellent partner and fundraiser. Mathias knew the legislative process. The "Black Gash of Shame"Revisiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial When I meet Vietnam veterans who stop me to say thank you for creating the Memorial, I always want to say: thank you, for the service and sacrifices that all of you have made in service to your country, she added. But can America truly mean that we should feel honored by that black pit?6. Intellectually and emotionally, America could embrace the idea. They came from all parts of the country and represented every state. The domino fell but did not take down any of those around it. Revisiting the terms of this conflict not only provides insight into how and why visual art came to be so politicized in the 1980s, but also sheds light on the debates of our present historical moment, which, in many ways, parallel the debates of that period regarding the social purpose of art. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. On April 30, 1980, the Senate approved legislation authorizing the Memorial, followed by approval in the House on May 20, 1980. The Vietnam War was a divisive and politically polemic war. The purpose of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was to honor all who had served, with a special tribute their names engraved for those who did not return. She is still remembered fondly by veterans for the moving Memorial she designed for them. The Salute opened with a vigil Wednesday morning at the National Cathedral, where all of the nearly 58,000 names on The Wall were read by volunteers around the clock, day and night, through midnight Friday. When the 18-year-old Scruggs volunteered to enlist in the Army in 1968, debate surrounding Vietnam was escalating. He was in Vietnam, serving in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. Better armed than ever before, thanks to increased aid from the Soviet Union, they employed tanks for the first time. 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. The effects of U.S. involvement, the impact of an individual's participation, political decisions and the politics of decision-making are still felt. Ho attempted to contact Eisenhower to discuss Vietnam but received no answer. A Space of Loss: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial - JSTOR Diem fell from favor with his American patrons, partly over disagreements in how to handle the war against the VC and partly because of his unpopular suppression of religious sects and anyone he feared threatened his regime. It was designed by American architect Maya Lin. Descriptions of the desired qualities for the memorial design included harmonious, contemplative and reflective, and again, conciliatory.2 The booklet concluded with the following passage: Finally, we wish to repeat that the memorial is not to be a political statement, and that its purpose is to honor the service and memory of the wars dead, its missing, and its veteransnot the war itself. Ibid. Following its dedication, Lins memorial quickly became the prototype for American war memorials. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - Definition, Cause & Significance - HISTORY For years, American society as a whole, regardless of political affiliation, had studiously ignored Vietnam veterans, their presence a painful reminder of the wars moral ambiguity. We had to build credibility among the design community, but also build credibility with the veterans, said Woods. My background was relatively modest, he said. ), For three solid months, Spreiregen, Mosley, Woods, and Doubek planned the competition. Doubek approached Scruggs after the meeting and suggested that he form a nonprofit corporation as a vehicle to build a memorial. [] Over the past two months, art mullahs of every description have begun a holy war against the addition of [Harts] statue.8. Vietnam Veterans Memorial - U.S. Department of Defense 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. Undoubtedly, news media played an important role in Americans saying, Enough. Indeed, Vo Nyugen Giap had always envisioned using media as one of his spear points for victory. Guerrilla warfare (asymmetrical warfare) does not permit such clear-cut data. Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Location, History & FAQs 11. 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. I just kept thinking to myself how quiet it was, and yet there was an immense feeling of community. Cupp attended many of their meetings on Capitol Hill as they drummed up support. But the veterans had real problems. Emphasis switched to Vietnamization, preparing South Vietnams military to take over responsibility for continuing the war. His reasoning was that a complete mess would make it tough to stop construction. 6 Things You May Not Know About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Following the Tet Offensive of 1968, the NVA had to assume the major combat role because the VC was decimated during the offensive. The U.S., which had been gradually exerting influence after the departure of the French government, backed Diem in order to limit the area under communist control. They would include a big National Salute to Vietnam Veterans at Veterans Day. 170,000220,000 military How should we remember a war that we "lost"? Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. VVMFagreed to the statue compromise, as well as to adding a flag and to reviewing the inscription on the Memorial, but they did not want to wait untila statue was designed before breaking ground. The Vietnam Wall Controversy - About - Overview - Lehigh University 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. Traumatic memoriessuch as those of police officers brutally beating anti-war protesters at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago and members of the National Guard opening fire on students protesting the war at Kent State University in Ohiowere removed, like a tumor, from the body of the nation and assigned to another geographical location: Vietnam. Mathias and Warner continually stressed that their objective was to provide the country with a symbol for reconciliation. The public wanted to have a hand in helping to build the Memorial and in honoring the warrior, not the war. American Artist discusses science fiction in the context of contemporary art and the concept of Colored Time.. Oooo, not any more, not any more. The Selective Service System during the Vietnam war was highly controversial, especially because early in the war draftees came disproportionately from poor, working-class, rural, and minority populations. Many felt it should be composed primarily of veterans; others felt it should be made up only of professionals; some thought a mix of the two would be best. The bronze sculpture, depicting three women caring for an injured soldier, recognized the work of the more than 10,000 women who served in Vietnam. That same month, Kennedy himself was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Unveiled on Veterans Day, November 11, 1984, [1] on the National Mall, it is part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial [2] commemorating the Vietnam War. Reflecting Absence (planned design for memorial to victims of attacks on the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001). Just, Why was the vietnam war memorial so controversial? Why was the Vietnam Memorial so controversial? - Yoforia.com Im sure I looked like a deer in the headlights, I was so nervous, Scruggs recalled. The and was so hurt by the controversy . The vision of VVMF is to ensure a society in which all who have served and sacrificed in our nation's Armed Forces are properly honored and receive the recognition they justly deserve. As Scruggs had always envisioned, the Memorial would feature all of the names of those who had died. When Scruggs went to see the movie in early 1979, it wasnt the graphic war scenes that haunted him. He also wanted to find a way to help them heal and suggested that the country build a national memorial as a symbol that the country cared about them. The idea for a memorial seemed like a natural extension of his work and his growing desire to find a way to help veterans. Hanoi re-activated the Viet Minh to conduct guerilla operations in the south, with the intent of destabilizing President Diems government. The greatest challenge VVMF faced, said Doubek, was to put together a functioning organization with people who didnt know one another, people who were very young and didnt have a lot of experience. Just as the American people could be a part of building the Memorial through their contributions and support, they could also have an opportunity to participate in its design. Lin knew it was critical to maintain the simplicity of the design throughout the design development and construction process. In July 1980, Congress passed a bill authorizing three acres on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to serve as the memorial site. Hidden in a hole in the ground, with no means of access for those Vietnam veterans who are condemned to spend the rest of their days in a wheelchair. Buddhists, who comprised South Vietnams majority, claimed Diem, a Catholic, favored citizens of his religion in distributing aid. Working with the construction manager, GilbaneBuilding Company, the design team had to locate the appropriate type of granite: a flawless, reflective, deep ebony stone. But how and where could all of the submissions be displayed? A different feeling prevailed among many within the U.S. government. Jan Scruggss and VVMF members desire for a memorial that would heal the social rifts wrought by the war was wishful thinking. (Some in the North Vietnamese government thought the course of war in the south was unwise, but they were overruled.) However, the media was not the only entity invested in the veterans compelling predicament. Sturken notes, "the memorial was seen as a monument to defeat, one that spoke more directly to a nation's guilt than to the honor of the war dead and the veterans." The disagreements over the design revealed anxiety about ownership of the war's representation. The priorities were to launch fund raising and achieve passage of the authorizing legislation. Adding to Americans disillusionment was the race issue. 3 (August 2004): 122. Ironically, the leadership of North Vietnam came to a similar conclusion: they had to inflict enough casualties on Americans to end support for the war on the U.S. homefront and force a withdrawal before the U.S. could build up sufficient numbers of men and material to defeat them. But if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? A few preliminary concepts were embraced. Veterans frequently found themselves denying their time in Vietnam, never mentioning their service to new friends and acquaintances for fear of the reactions it might elicit. 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. The senior staffers were against it. 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. 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. Some 80,000 Vietnamese from the south had moved to the north after the Geneva Agreements were signed. Before the 1880s, the French controlled Vietnam. I ran over to see a truck on fire and a dozen of my friends dying. They had been unloading an ammunition truck when the explosion occurred. Why was the memorial so controversial? This message of personal responsibility, in contrast to governance by an elite group on behalf of individuals, became a hallmark of the Reagan administration. Some of the juror comments included: The controversy overshadowed the mission and what we were doing, until the Salute brought it all together. By the time he returned home, three months after the explosion, the country was even further divided. Joe Biden's slogan that it was time "to end the forever war" in Afghanistan was called imbecilic by former Prime Minister Tony Blair. I was dumbfounded that we had succeeded at doing this. 9. Everyone wanted to join the effort. The Vietnam Wall, as it's commonly known, stands as a tribute to the war's veterans, who consider it a tangible symbol that the American people recognized and honored for their service. . Ho Chi Minh had been educated in Paris. The first phase encompassed the detail planning and preparations for holding the competition, said Spreiregen. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Before he spoke, however, all eyes had turned toward the kitchen door, from which has emerged his then-wife, actress Elizabeth Taylor. For weeks, heated discussions took place around the topic of who should be part of the design jury. Scruggs . Larry Century, a young inventor from Cleveland, Ohio,was selected to serve as a consultant to Binswanger Glass Company in Memphis, Tennessee, which was awarded the contract for inscribing the names. Most at the meeting told him they didnt want a memorial; they wanted more benefits and government support. With the jury selected, the next task was to announce and promote the competition. In 2009 the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the site. The Vietnam War was an extremely long conflict, lasting from the sending of a group of advisors to aid South Vietnam on November 1, 1955, to the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. In 1973 a "third" Vietnam war begana continuation, actuallybetween North and South Vietnam but without significant U.S. involvement. Two U.S. helicopter units arrived in Saigon in 1961. And Congress had declared a Vietnam Veterans Week for that April to honor those who had returned home. The NVA suffered some 120,000 casualties. However, that posed a problem of how tolocate an individual name. In the early 20th century, Vietnamese nationalism began to rise, clashing with the French colonial rulers. They set their sights in support of the clear, simple vision Scruggs outlined:to honor the warrior and not the war. "The veterans were asking me, 'What do you think people are going to do when they first come here?'" Lin recalls. Only a few, such as the St. Louis Gateway Arch, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, had been the result of open competitions. As a first step, VVMF retained architect Paul Spreiregen to serve as the Professional Advisor for the competition. Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington D.C. Like many veterans, Carhart read Lins design through the lens of his own experience: encountering an America that was at best indifferent and at worst outright hostile towards soldiers returning from Vietnam. Once Scruggs decided to build the memorial, the next step was to get some people behind him. History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund 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. Despite the stated wishes of the VVMF, Lins design proved instantaneously divisive. North Vietnam spent two years rebuilding its military; South Vietnam was hamstrung in its responses by a fear the U.S. Congress would cut off all aid if it took military action against communist buildup. Security was improving even as American forces were in the process of withdrawing. And if they themselves didnt know how to help, they knew someone who did. The South Vietnamese Army was showing improvement, winning 37 of their last 45 major engagements. Vietnam veteran Joseph Zengerle, then an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, volunteered the use of an aircraft hangar at Andrews Air Force Base. As time progressed it caused more and more controversy in the United States. A flower is laid on the names of fallen troops on "The Wall" of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington on Nov. 12, 2018. . On September 30, 1964, the first large-scale antiwar demonstration took place in America, on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley. As VVMF focused on fundraising, Sens. Dana Joy Helwick explains how, and why, she uses contemporary artists as role models in her classroom. 20. I am tired of hearing it called such by you. It was surreal.. The U.S. suffered over 47,000 killed in action, Kennedy himself was assassinated in Dallas, VC and NVA units launched a massive attack, CBS evening news anchor Walter Cronkite returned to Vietnam, https://www.historynet.com/the-vietnam-war-a-history-of-americas-controversial-war/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, When 21 Sikh Soldiers Fought the Odds Against 10,000 Pashtun Warriors, Few Red Tails Remain: Tuskegee Airman Dies at 96. By years end, 2,573 individuals and teams had registered almost 3,800 people in total. 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. I remember The Washington Post had pages and pages of stories in the A section. Vietnam veterans were, at long last, receiving the recognition they deserved. On Saturday, a grand parade took place where veterans marched joyously out of sync, some hand-in-hand or with their arms draped around one another, holding banners, flags, and signs. North Vietnam It was like a Woodstock atmosphere in Washington for those who had served in Vietnam, recalled Scruggs. Initially, however, homefront support for the war effort grew, but by March Americans, perceiving no change in strategy that would bring the war to a conclusion, became increasingly disillusioned. The ARVN bent but did not break. to the memorial, as well as the rituals that take place there and what role the memorial may be playing in the construction of a his-tory of the Vietnam War.8 Beyond the academic discourse, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has also in-spired a considerable popular literature. A lingering question of the war is what might have happened if Eisenhower and Ho had arranged a meeting; possibly, an accord could have been reached, or possibly Ho was simply seeking to limit American involvement, in order to more easily depose the Diem government. 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. The plan, however, was eventually scrapped, once the initial haggling over the racial identity of the firefighters gave way to accusations of political correctness on the part of the memorials planners.20. The photo of the South Vietnamese police chief, for example, cannot by itself explain he had just seen the dead body of a close friend minutes before; even Eddie Adams, the photojournalist who snapped the photo felt it unfairly maligned Lt. Col. Loan.