Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln one the eighteenth century father and the other the nineteenth century preserver of our nation we honor those twentieth century Americans who took up the struggle during the Second World War and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us A nation conceived in liberty and justice Inscription on the announcement stone of the World War II Memorial How Do We Pay Tribute to the Greatest Generation How do you memorialize a generation of people who involved themselves in every way to protect the ideals of freedom and liberty How do you pay tribute to people known as The Greatest Generation 50 years after the war called upon them to make sacrifices Can government agencies construct a national memorial quickly so that aging survivors of the war may enjoy its commemoration And where do you put it 4
Perhaps the answer to so many questions is a beautifully landscaped open-air memorial located in the heart of Washington D C s most revered section of the National Mall It is nicknamed monument alley 5
World War II In September 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland with such force that the attack was called a blitzkrieg or lightning war The balance of power in the world faced changes Germany Japan and Italy in 1940 signed an agreement to become the Axis Alliance The agreement promised joint military action if any of the three nations went to war with the United States In the meantime Britain and France partnered and became the Allies When the United States joined the war effort it joined on the side of the Allies After the blitzkrieg the Allies declared war on Germany a country governed by Adolf Hitler There was much fighting in 1940 in Europe Hitler’s Nazi Regime in Germany captured Paris the capital of France and tried to destroy Britain 6
German troops march before an audience Banners above fly the Nazi symbol called a swastika 7
