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Old 07-02-2005, 03:32 PM
RACooper RACooper is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by RACooper
>>> BUMP >>>

Okay how about another question that might not be so "partisan" for some

What do you consider the most moving/powerful war memorial? Which is the most moving one nationally, and which is the most moving one on foreign soil?
Well for me the most powerful and moving national memorial (in Canada) is the National War Memorial - the size and weight of the figures and arch, as well as the tomb of the unknown soldier at it's base serve to remind all who pass/see it.


As for a memorial on 'foreign' soil it has to be the Vimy Memorial - it is massive, surounded by the still visible scars of the Great War... but most impressive to me is the artist beauty and power of it.

The twin pylons of the Vimy Memorial represent the two nations of Canada and France. The large park on which the memorial is situated was given by France to Canada in perpetuity. The battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 was a Canadian success story. While the memorial is located at the site of the Battle of Vimy Ridge it specifically commemorates the 60,000 Canadians who died in the Great War. The names of 11,285 Canadians who died in France and have no known grave are inscribed around the base of the memorial.

In fact following the fall of France there were rumors that the Germans were tearing down or defacing WWI War Memorials - so Hitler had a series of photos of him taken at the Vimy Memorial and had them sent to various papers, along with his orders threatening to shoot any man who desecrated the site.


As for a US memorial (since most of you are familiar with these) - mine isn't the Vietnam Memorial... it's the Korean War Memorial nearby- the patrol of life-sized figures advancing through the grass, with the ghostly sillouttes of men & women overlooking the figures from the wall behind is haunting... made even more so at night when the lighting enhances the effect (wish I could of found a good photo of that).
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