PEACE MEMORIAL - what's it all about

From the Acropolis to the Arc de Triomphe, war memorials have been central to the history of European architecture and public sculpture. They have also been important symbols of national pride and identity and confirmation of national leaders prowess or a general’s valour. War was seen as the bringer of peace and so it was the events and their instigators that were celebrated.

In Britain after the end of World War One many of the memorials that were erected were called 'peace memorials'. In appearance there were no significant differences in the style of the memorial, the distinction was in people’s minds. Perhaps these ‘peace’ memorials were an expression of a fervent hope that a new and better world can now exists rather than relief that the four grim and murderous years have finally come to an end. Over time they all became universally known as 'war memorials' as it became clear that that war did not bring anything that resembled the ‘peace’ people had in mind. ...more