Vietnam Veterans Memorial

the long version

The black granite Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., draws millions of visitors every year. They come to remember and honor the loved ones they lost in the Vietnam War, one of America's most divisive conflicts. They touch the names engraved on the V-shaped monument, known as the Wall, and view the nearby sculptures. The memorial is one of the most inspirational sites in the nation's capital. But it wasn't always so. The monument's design was controversial, just as the Vietnam War had been.