World War II Inscriptions

Besides the monument itself, there are lots of inscriptions on the walls from our wartime leaders. Here is a sampling of the best ones:

Pearl Harbor
"December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy … no matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory."
— President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Battle of Midway June 4-7, 1942
"They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war … even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit — a magic blend of skill, faith and valor — that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory."
— Walter Lord Author

D-Day June 6, 1944
"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you … I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle."
— General Dwight D. Eisenhower

"We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one hand and of overwhelming force on the other."
— General George C. Marshall

The War's End
"Today the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great victory has been won. The skies no longer rain death — the seas bear only commerce — men everywhere walk upright in the sunlight. The entire world is quietly at peace."
— General Douglas MacArthur

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"Our debt to the heroic men and valient women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices … The heroism of our own troops … was matched by that of the armed forces of the nations that fought by our side … They absorbed the blows … and they shared to the full in the ultimate destruction of the enemy."
— President Harry S. Truman