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FIRST WORLD WAR
GREAT WAR, an international conflict that in 1914-18 embroiled most of the nations of Europe along with Russia, the United States, the Middle East, and other regions. The war pitted the Central Powers--mainly Germany, Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey--against the Allies--mainly France, Great Britain, Greece, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States. When a Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria at Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, a chain of threats, ultimatums, and mobilizations was set in motion that resulted in a general war between these two alliances by mid-August. The Great War ended with the defeat of the Central Powers.
The World War II Memorial is the monument that honours all the people who served during the World War II, all the 400,000 who died as well as those who supported the war efforts from home.
The World War II Memorial stands on the National Mall, on the 17th Street between Constitution and Independence Avenues, on the east there is the Washington Monument, on the west it is the Lincoln Memorial.
The Law about the Memorial to all those who served in WWII was signed by president Clinton in 1993. As the site of new Monument the Rainbow Pool at the east end of the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument was chosen by the National Park Service, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission.
The Monument was designed by Friedrich St. Florian. He was chosen out of six semi-finalists in an open, national competition. Other members of his team were: George E. Hartman of Hartman-Cox Architects, landscape architect Oehme van Sweden & Associates, sculptor Ray Kaskey, and stone carver and letterer Nick Benson. The design was approved in 1998. The actual construction began on 4 September, 2001.
The World War II Memorial was funded mostly by private contributions. The fund-raising campaign was led by National Chairman Senator Bob Dole and National Co-Chairman Frederick W. Smith.
The World War II Memorial was opened to the public on 29 April 2004 and was dedicated one month later. Since then, it has been open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The memorial consists of 56 pillars arranged in a semicircle around a central plaza. They are all 5.18 m (17 feet) tall. There are two 13.11 m (43-foot) high arches on opposite sides. The plaza is 103 m (337 feet, 10 inches) long and 73 m (240 feet, 2 inches) wide; it sinks 1.83 m (6 feet) below grade, and contains a pool that is 75 by 45 m (246 feet, 9 inches, by 147 feet, 8 inches). Each pillar is inscribed with the names of the then-48 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the Alaska Territory and Territory of Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each arch is inscribed with "Atlantic" and "Pacific." on the west side of the memorial The Freedom Wall is located. It contains 4048 gold stars, one for approximately 100 American deaths incurred in the war.