12 Monuments That Commemorate Death And Destruction

12. National War Memorial – Ottawa, CanadaThe National War Memorial in Ottawa was originally intended to honor those that gave their lives in service during World War I.

11. India Gate – New Delhi, IndiaOriginally named the All India War Memorial, the India Gate is an arch style monument in the center of the Indian capital of New Delhi.

10. Hiroshima Peace Memorial – Hiroshima, JapanOn the morning of April 6, 1945, human history was forever changed with first detonation of an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Total casualties remain unknown, but anywhere from 90,000 to 170,000 people perished as a result of the detonation, fallout, and subsequent radiation sickness.

9. USS Arizona Memorial – Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USADecember 7, 1941 is a day that lives in infamy for many Americans that remember the lives lost in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that began the United States’ involvement in World War II.

8. Arc de Triomphe – Paris, FranceNapoleon was one of the greatest conquerors in human history and waged warfare throughout his reign over France.

7. ANZAC War Memorial – Sydney, AustraliaAfter a design competition was announced in 1929, Bruce Dellit’s design was chosen to memorialize the Australian Imperial Forces of World War I.

6. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – Berlin, GermanyOne block south of the famed Brandenburg Gate is one of the most stirring and controversial memorials in the world.

5. Choeung Ek – Phnom Penh, CambodiaFollowing the overthrow of the Khmer Republic by the Khmer Rouge, the Cheoung Ek transformed from a quiet orchard into a site of one of humanity’s greatest atrocities.

4. Tjentiste War Memorial – Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Battle of the Sutjeska was known by many names including Case Black, Fall Schwarz, and the Fifth Offensive, and marked a turning point in Yugoslavia’s involvement in World War II.

3. Vietnam Veterans Memorial – Washington DC, USAThe Vietnam War raged for nearly 20 years, and the United States’ involvement in the conflict lasted until Americans left the country in 1975.

2. The Motherland Calls – Volgograd, RussiaThe Battle of Stalingrad lasted over five months before Soviet forces were able to mount forces and repel those of Nazi Germany.

1. Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme – Thiepval, FranceOver one million soldiers perished during the multiple battles that made up the Battle of the Somme. French, British, and South African soldiers engaged forces from the German Empire in one of the largest stalemates in history. The Thiepval Memorial is dedicated to the 72,195 British and South African men who went missing in the multiple battles.