Competing Memories: A Memorial 60 Years in the Making

To the right are the seals of the United States Marine Corps, the United States Merchant Marines, and the United States Navy, preceded by: "IN THE LONG HISTORY OF THE WORLD ONLY A FEW GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE ROLE OF DEFENDING FREEDOM IN ITS HOUR OF MAXIMUM DANGER." Although the monument does not credit this quote, it comes from the inaugural address of John F. Kennedy (JFK), which he delivered on January 20, 1961.¹

The inclusion of FDR’s Four Freedoms holds relevance, as the speech was his historic State of the Union Address in which he made his case for increased American involvement in WWII and continued American aid to Great Britain’s efforts.² However, a JFK quote raises questions. This inaugural address is the same in which JFK famously requests that Americans “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country,” placing the burden of war on the people rather than on the state that engages it.³ [include photo JFK_Inaugural_Address, Inaugural Address, Kennedy Draft, 01/17/1961; Papers of John F. Kennedy: President's Office Files, 01/20/1961-11/22/1963; John F. Kennedy Library; National Archives and Records Administration.]

Moreover, JFK speaks of the Cold War, not WWII. In his inaugural address, the JFK quote featured on the WWII Memorial continues with the following words: “I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.” This desire to exist in no other time when speaking of the Cold War, not WWII, underscores the oddity that the inclusion of this quote represents, an almost underhanded comment when placed in the context of a completely different space than the one in which JFK expresses pride. I wonder whether JFK was intentionally left uncredited to avoid addressing these inherent contradictions with what the WWII Memorial seemingly seeks to accomplish: to honor WWII veterans.