In the Centennial Footsteps of “A Soldier’s Journey”

As the newly elected President Trump will walk down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House in a few months, a powerful new addition will mark his path: “A Soldier’s Journey.” This striking monument commemorates the war that the world a century ago simply called “the Great War”, for its unparalleled devastation and lasting impact on history, serving as a solemn reminder of the cost of war and the value of peace. As November 11 approaches, it is fitting to remember the significance of Armistice Day.

The centenary of the Great War has provided Washington D.C. with the unique opportunity to give long-overdue recognition to the 4.7 million Americans who served during the war. Funded purely by private donations and managed by the Doughboy Foundation, Sabin Howard’s new 58-foot-long, 25-ton sculpture with 38 full-size figures in high relief follows the story of a doughboy-as American World War One soldiers were called-entitled “A Soldier’s Journey”. The moving memorial is just southeast of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue in Pershing Park, which also features the bronze statue of General John Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), and an ornate granite wall inscribed with maps and the history of US combat operations in the Great War.

During the past 10 years, I traveled to 59 countries to photograph every significant Great War monument worldwide for my two-volume book “In the Centennial Footsteps of the Great War”. Without a doubt, it is one of the most stunning war monuments in the world. The neoclassical form of the sculpture is as significant as the subject matter. Fortunately, the prominent donors of the 44 million dollar memorial project, the World War I Centennial Commission, the Doughboy Foundation, and the Pritzker Military Museum opted for a straightforward neoclassical design, making it accessible and relatable for everyone. One hundred ten years after the first global conflict, the National World War I Memorial’s mission is not limited to commemorating US troops serving on the Western Front but also to remind people what a significant role the Great War played in shaping and making the United States what it is today.

Overall, within six months of combat, the US Army sustained more than 255,000 casualties, including 53,402 battle deaths and 63,114 non-combat deaths. The Great War was the third deadliest war for America, after the Civil War and the Second World War. The impact of America entering the war went far beyond the arrival of fresh troops in the trenches of Europe. The United States brought almost unlimited financial and material resources to the Allied cause that sealed the fate of the Central Powers. With its brief but decisive involvement in the Great War, America emerged as the world’s undisputed leading power.

In the years that followed the carnage, America and Europe mourned their lost youth. An entire generation of men was practically wiped out, or psychologically wounded for life. In light of the emotional impact and the experience of the Great War, the participating nations sought the best way to commemorate the Allied victory and the great tragedy of Europe and to honor the fallen soldiers. Anguish, agony, and heartbreak on such a scale had never been experienced before, and it was important everywhere to transform these emotions into national pride rather than to let the collective grief turn into mass outrage. Ideas for commemoration began to emerge, many of which we recognize today. The most significant initiative was the designation of an annual Armistice Day, today’s Veteran’s Day, that Allied nations began to mark every year on the 11th of November in acts of solemn remembrance. Armistice Day swiftly established itself in the popular consciousness as a focal point for commemorating the Great War. A century later, it is still a powerful display of unified grief and tribute to all those who had fallen in military conflicts.

Britain, France, America, and also Germany determined that the war dead were to be treated uniformly and buried in identical graves near where they fell, regardless of rank or background, in neat military cemeteries that span over acres. There are over 3,000 sacred Great War military cemeteries maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the American Battle Monuments Commission, the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, and Le Ministère des Pensions along the Western Front, where the legacy of 1914-1918 is most apparent.

However, as the majority of grieving families could never dream of traveling to faraway places to visit the graves of their fallen loved ones, overwhelming demand was expressed for a more lasting means of remembrance that is accessible to all. Consequently, war memorials were rapidly unveiled all over Europe and America. In 1921, many Allied service members were still unaccounted for. For their representation, the US brought home the remains of one randomly selected, unidentified soldier for burial in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Despite it being only a decade since the last veterans – those who could recount stories of the war from first-hand experience – were finally laid to rest, the general public already has minimal knowledge about what exactly took place between 1914 and 1918 and why it happened.

For those of us fortunate enough to hear stories from World War I survivors, preserving that legacy has become our shared duty. Passing down the lessons of the Great War is essential in helping future generations understand the stakes of peace and the consequences of war. For the first time in U.S. history, a newly inaugurated president will pass by a war memorial in Washington, with the world watching and reflecting on its message.

Attila Szalay-Berzeviczy is author of the two volume book “In the Centennial Footsteps of the Great War – From Sarajevo to Versailles”. He is a noted Hungarian economist and former president of the Budapest Stock Exchange.