The Vietnam war is one of the most infamous conflicts in America's history. The turbulent 1960s were filled with dissenters who refused to fight, hippies who shirked the call of their country, and countless others who happily spit on the soldiers who managed to make it home from this very different war.
When the war was finally declared finished in 1975, over 58,000 American soldiers were dead, and the country's future was still uncertain. As the years passed, the wounds began to slowly heal
To commemorate the sacrifice of these brave fallen warriors, an official memorial was finally completed in the fall of 1982 with the names of 57,661 of the departed. Though the design was controversial at the time, it has stood the test of time for its dark beauty and sombre appearance, a V-shaped scar in the earth to symbolize the gravity of the loss of so many Americans. In the video below you can see how the huge amount of people who made the trek to upkeep this amazing memorial. They use special cleaning techniques to ensure that the "mirror effect" of the shiny black granite stays clean and beautiful, so that the names of these brave soldiers is never forgotten and to show that their sacrifice was not in vain. Please SHARE this beautiful story if you're proud of our troops!
