Essays, research papers, and group projects are all mainstays of the college experience. However, for one Yale student, a class project would go on to create an everlasting impact on the way we honor the U.S. military. The Maya Lin Vietnam Memorial is in the National Mall in Washington welcoming over 5 million visitors each year. However, its journey to becoming a well-known monument is full controversy.
How the Maya Lin Vietnam Memorial Came to Be
The Maya Lin Vietnam Memorial stands today as a testament to the sacrifice of those in the Vietnam War; however, it was the idea of a Vet from the conflict that started it all.
Army Veteran Jan Scruggs realized that there were complex feelings about the war hindering reintegration for those who served. He wanted to help honor Vets while making them feel more at home.
He and others established the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. (VVMF), which held a contest to create what would become the National Vietnam Memorial.
Lin entered the contest as a part of her architecture class at Yale University but instead of going for what was more of the norm, her inspiration challenged the very way we design memorials to this day.
Rather than creating a celebration, Lin created the look we know today with a design that was bleak, but respectful and avant-garde without being pretentious.
It was a blind pick from the committee who relied on multiple elimination rounds and identified each entry by assigned numbers.
Despite getting a “B” for her project, Lin’s design was chosen. However, it came with strong pushback from critics.
Controversy Breaks Out
Make no mistake about it, the Maya Lin Vietnam Veterans Memorial design was loved by many, that is clear by its acceptance by the VVMF. However, that doesn’t mean everyone was on board.
There were several reasons why Maya Lin’s Vietnam War Memorial was initially controversial.
Many Americans, including Veterans, believed that the memorial should be bigger, better, and more of a celebration.
Some believed it should fit the style of the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials. Protests over its “ugly” design got, well, ugly.
Complex feelings about the war itself also hindered the efforts for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial by Maya Lin. Feelings that also split further when considering costs.
Some thought that instead of spending millions of dollars on a monument, funding should be focused on directly helping Veterans from Vietnam instead.
Ultimately, though some compromises were made that Lin didn’t agree with, the National Vietnam Memorial stands today as a testament to the bravery of those who served.
Maya Lin Created the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Established a Legacy That Continues Today
The design from Maya Lin helped spark her career. However, it also changed the way Americans perceived monuments that honor our nation’s military.
Beyond being a very popular destination for tourists and loved ones to pay respect to those who have fallen, it’s also a place of therapy. Research has found that multiple visits to the wall can help Veterans dealing with PTSD.
Today, Lin continues to create meaningful designs, including the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, AL.
However, it’s the Maya Lin Vietnam Memorial design that will forever cement her legacy. It continues the tradition of creative American monuments to the heroes who have served before.
Suggested reads: