Korean War Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial, standing adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial and just south of the reflecting pool on the National Mall, was dedicated in 1995 on the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting of the Korean War by President Clinton and South Korean President Kim Young Sam. From 1950 to 1953 the United States and other members of the United Nations helped South Korea fight off an invasion from communist North Korea and China, ending with a bloody stalemate on the Korean Peninsula in the first major armed conflict of the Cold War. Though the fighting was stopped by the truce, without a formal peace treaty the war between the two Koreas has never officially ended, leaving a legacy of global tension to this day. At this quiet memorial, 19 stainless-steel statues in the Field of Service depict a squad of American troops from a variety of backgrounds and services on patrol in the harsh Korean weather, while etchings at the calm Pool of Remembrance mark the numbers of dead, wounded, missing in action, and prisoners-of-war from the conflict.
- Learn about the sacrifices made in the defense of freedom in Korea
- Gaze upon the faces of men in the field, braving enemies and the elements
- Remember the contributions of allied nations working together under the UN flag
- See a mural etched into polished granite from real photographs of the war
For more information, visit the official website at
www.nps.gov.
