All wars alter the lives of those they touching on , but zero was every bit transformative as well as revolutionary every bit the Second World War , especially for women. Traditionally , women’s roles were confined to the family as well as the farm , but when the state of war began many women establish their roles , opportunities as well as responsibilities expanded. While the men went off to struggle the state of war , women were called upon to fill upwards positions that were reserved for men. They made bombs as well as aircrafts inwards factories , drove trucks , served every bit air raid wardens as well as every bit nurses , worked inwards communications , intelligence , as well as emergency services , as well as performed hundreds of other clerical duties that provided critical back upwards to the state of war effort. New positions created yesteryear scientific as well as technological advances that didn’t fifty-fifty be earlier the state of war began were taken on yesteryear women. By the halt of the state of war , at that topographic point were few noncombatant jobs inwards which women did non serve. But that wasn’t all. Thousands of women joined the fighting through the local resistance , smuggled supplies as well as data as well as sabotaged enemy movements. Many brave women earned medals throughout the state of war as well as some fifty-fifty died inwards service of their country.
A monument to the Women of World War 2 inwards London. Photo credit: Willard/Flickr
Since the state of war ended , 70 years agone , hundreds of memorials cause got been erected all merely about the basis dedicated to the brave men as well as women who served inwards the state of war , but only a handful of them commemorate women exclusively. Here are those memorials.
Monument to the Women of World War II , London
The Monument to the Women of World War II , located inwards Whitehall inwards London , is the commence as well as only i of its sort inwards the United Kingdom. It was erected only inwards 2005 , threescore years likewise belatedly , but other memorials that pay tribute to women of the basis state of war aren’t likewise early on either.
The memorial inwards London is a large , dark , block made of bronze 22 feet high , sixteen feet long as well as 6 feet wide. The sides of the block are sculpted amongst 17 private sets of habiliment as well as uniforms worn yesteryear women during the state of war symbolizing the hundreds of unlike jobs women undertook.
Photo credit: Kevin Christopher Burke/Flickr
Photo credit: Rose Davis/Flickr
Women inwards Military Service for America Memorial
The Women inwards Military Service for America Memorial is dedicated non merely to women of the Second World War but to all women who served inwards the U.S. armed forces till the acquaint times. The memorial is located at the western halt of Memorial Avenue at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery inwards Arlington County , Virginia. The construction within which the memorial is housed is known every bit the Hemicycle , as well as was originally built inwards 1932 to survive a ceremonial entrance to the cemetery. It never served this operate , as well as later lying idle for to a greater extent than than 50 years , the site was chosen for the memorial inwards 1988.
The original gallery of the memorial contains displays most women inwards the U.S. armed forces , the role they played , as well as quotes most as well as from women veterans , every bit good every bit actual names as well as pictures of some women. There is also a theatre as well as auditorium where patrons tin sentry films which document the roles women cause got played inwards the U.S. armed forces.
Photo credit: womensmemorialstore.com
Violette Szabo GC Museum
Violette Szabo was a Special Operations Executive agent , i of hundreds who served during the Second World War. Violette was sent into occupied French Republic twice. The commence fourth dimension she returned safely but the 2nd fourth dimension she was captured as well as deported to Deutschland where she was eventually executed at Ravensbrück concentration camp. Violette was the commence adult woman to survive awarded the George Cross , the highest civilian accolade for bravery , commonly regarded every bit the equivalent to the Victoria Cross. She was also awarded the Croix de Guerre yesteryear the French.
A museum dedicated to Violette Szabo is located inwards Herefordshire , inwards England , inwards a family that Violette's English linguistic communication cousins formerly owned. She also has a bronze bust at the Albert Embankment of the River Thames. Other plaques as well as memorials amongst her cite are located inwards France.
Violette Szabo’s bust inwards London. Photo credit: Chalkstream/Flickr
The humble museum of Violette Szabo. Photo credit: Tigercoco/Panoramio
Memorials to Comfort Women
During the state of war , the Imperial Japanese Army forced thousands of women into sexual slavery to service the soldiers. They were called “comfort women”. Young women from the Japanese-occupied Asian countries were abducted from their homes. In many cases , women were also lured amongst promises of piece of work inwards factories or restaurants , as well as thence coerced into sexual slavery inwards military machine brothels inwards unusual lands. Girls were raped as well as beaten 24-hour interval as well as night. Those who became meaning were forced to cause got abortions. Those who didn’t comply were executed. Approximately 3 quarters of comfort women died , as well as most survivors were left infertile due to sexual trauma or sexually transmitted diseases.
Women's Active Museum on War as well as Peace , chronicles the experiences of these comfort women. The museum is located inwards Tokyo , Japan. Photo credit: wam-peace.org
The Peace Monument is located exterior the Japanese diplomatic mission inwards Seoul. It consist of a bronze statue of a barefoot , seated daughter , depicting a Korean comfort girl. The statue was placed at that topographic point inwards 2011 , every bit a role of a weekly protestation held inwards Korea every Midweek inwards front end of the Embassy of Nippon inwards Seoul , seeking judge from the Japanese authorities regarding the large scale sexual slavery during the war. Photo credit: typehost.com
A replica of the Peace Monument inwards Seoul , sits at a world common inwards northern Los Angeles suburb of Glendale. Erected inwards 2013 , it’s a elementary statue of an Asian daughter sitting inwards a chair amongst an empty chair beside her. Beside that chair is a plaque that reads: “I was a sexual activity slave of (the) Japanese military.” Photo credit: LA Times
War & Women's Human Rights Museum , inwards Seoul , South Korea. Photo credit: thesoulofseoul.net
War & Women's Human Rights Museum , inwards Seoul , South Korea. Photo credit: thesoulofseoul.net
Comfort Women Memorial inwards Palisades Park , New Bailiwick of Jersey , USA. Photo credit: www.northjersey.com
Comfort Women monument inwards Veterans Memorial , Eisenhower Park , New York , USA. Photo credit: www.kapacusa.org
Comfort Women Memorial Peace Garden , inwards Fairfax , Virginia , USA. Photo credit: news.xinhuanet.com
Comfort women museum inwards Nanjing , China. Photo credit: PRC News Service
See to a greater extent than comfort women memorials at peace.maripo.com