Vandalism at the WWII Memorial: A Symbolic Attack on Collective Memory The World War II Memorial in Washington D. C.
's National Mall has been a poignant reminder of America's involvement in one of its most defining conflicts since its dedication in 2004.
The memorial's granite pillars and elliptical plaza serve as a somber tribute to the estimated 400,000 American lives lost and the 16 million who served during World War II.