The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a tomb located in Washington D.C. Congress approved the burial of an unidentified soldier in world war 1 in this location. The tomb is made of white marble sarcophagus with neo-classic pilasters/columns on its surface. It has a lot of Greek architectural influence. On the east- panel of this tomb is 3 figures which symbolize Peace, Victory, and Valor. On the back of this patriotic tomb states “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God”.
There is a lot of history behind this tomb, on memorial day 1921, four unknown American Soldiers were exhumed from 4 world war one cemeteries situated in France. U.S Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger selected “the unknown soldier”. It is claimed that the 4 caskets were at city hall in Chalons-sur-Marne, France, October 24, 1921. The sergeant chose the third casket from the left and this unknown soldier got a first class ride to the united states on the USS Olympia. This Unknown Soldier was in the Capitol Rotunda on Armistice Day in 1921. November eleventh 921 the President Warren G. Harding Himself performed an official ceremony at the Memorial Amphitheater located in the Arlington National ceremony.
August 3rd, 1956, the President who at this time was Dwight D. Eisenhower approved a bill with his signature which was to select and fund the tribute to unknown soldier who fought in World War Two and the Korean War. Likewise to in the 1920s the world war two unknown was selected from exhumed remains coming from cemeteries located in Europe, Africa, the Philippines And Hawaii. Navy Hospitalman 1st Class William R. Charette selected the unknown soldiers of world war two. The two soldiers placed in identical caskets, one from the European theater and one from the Pacific were transported over the USS Canberra. The morning upon their arrival, they were placed side by side the World War 1 Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery.
U.S Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Allan Jay Kellogg Jr. selected the unknown soldier May 17, 1984 . This Vietnam unknown was sent to different air forces. May 28th, memorial day, President Reagan awarded the Vietnam unknown a medal of honor and oversaw the Vietnam unknown funeral in Arlington Cemetery. The Vietnam Unknown was buried side by side his fellow deceased veterans.
Personally, i believe that the tomb of the unknowns although incredibly symbolic and patriotic is controversial. Looking at all of the different veterans from different wars and time periods buried in Arlington Cemetery it makes you realize the number of wars that America has fought in is ridiculous. It is estimated that throughout all human history the total number of people killed in wars is a range from 150 million to 1 billion.Estimates for the total number killed in wars throughout all of the human history range from 150 million to 1 billion. This statistic represents insane fatalities. A number of civilizations that have gone to war is unimaginable. America honors these soldiers without even knowing their name. At random, they have picked 2 soldiers to represent hundreds of unknown soldiers deaths. They treat these “unknown soldiers” without even knowing their name. This is putting a statistic on human life. Many of these soldiers were drafted into a war that the U.S government decided to start out of greed, power, and money. Veterans are so honored because the deceased is dead at the cost of the American government. So many served their government because they were forced to and died doing so. It’s sad that today the way the united states commemorates this service is by making a superficial patriotic tomb and guarding it 24/7. The amount of money that has been wasted guarding this tomb since 1921 could have gone to the well being of people that are poor and struggling. This tomb honors people who have sacrificed their lives to this country’s military greed. The presidents that award these medals to a soldier they don’t even know the name of are the ones that have engaged in putting their signature on starting military combat in the first place. This tomb honors the people that have died due to the American government, however today, the American government chooses to ignore the people struggling due to the American government. Instead of putting their signatures on bills that approve military combat they should be carrying out incentives to help ease poverty and create more jobs and fund things for a noble cause. The fact that the united states waste so much money on wars than on the veterans these wars create is fundamentally sad. So much money could be saved if these wars did not occur in the first place.