To learn about the National World war i museum and memorial built to preserve the history of what was then called the great war and to honor the americans who served. Im matt naylor. This memorial and museum is such a striking image on the kansas city skyline and what a great story goes with that. It was in 1919, soon after the november 1918 armistice that a group of Business Leaders gathered and said lets do something to honor to war dead of kansas city and create a tribute for peace. What you see behind me is the outcome of that. A Fund Raising Campaign that lasted only two weeks that raised more than 2. 5 million. The equivalent today of about 40 million. Then the people gathering here on this side in 1921 with a five allied commanders, about 100,000 people in a city of about 250,000, and then the remarkable memorial being constructed and opening with president coolidge in 1926 and the people of the Community Gathering here. At that time about 150,000 people. Said to be the largest crowd that the president or a president of the United States had spoken to up until that time. For peace in a different sort of future. Than the most recent past. Then this memorial with many complexity, its really quite a striking architectural feature. Served as a Gathering Place for many years. In late 80s, late 90s, some deferred maintenance issues that need to be address. Then raised about another 110 million to restore and refurbish the memorial and creating an extraordinary museum. The association as it was named in 1921 when it was formed began collecting in 1920, and the second oldest collecting institution in the world and at the time really made a consequential decision that was to collect globally. We had the most scope or the broadest collection of world war i archives of any institution in the world. Thats exhibiting here as part of our main galleries and in our changing galleries. This side has really become a place of reflection for people right across the world. The last numbers of years we have seen a tremendous increase in attendance. More than 50 , in fact. People from last year and people for more than 70 countries came to visit the museum and memoriamemorial serving more than 500,000 guests in 2016. Its an international Gathering Place that serves as the United States official memorial to world war i and official museum to world war i. When the museum was being constructed the city leaders and congressional leaders went to u. S. Congress and asked forsignl museum. Because of the scope of the collection and significance amongst other museums in the world, congress designated in 2004 the museum as the National Museum. In 2014, the congress, again, in a bipartisan bill named the memorial as the national memorial. Effectively carrying both congressional designations as the National Museum and national memorial. Quite a fitting tribute for a citizen initiated museum and memorial to honor those who served in world war i and mark the turning point for the nation and the impact that it had in the United States. The iing catastrophe of that moment that launch and captured here in this museum and memorial with national designation. Lets go on up to the memorial and talk about some of the features of this extraordinary landmark. Behind us this is extraordinary Memorial Tower dedicated in 1926. The Foundation Stone layed in 1921 when they gathered here to dedicate the project, begin the Building Works and this extraordinary tower which in its totality is larger than the statue of liberty. Here a dominant feature and an extraordinary tribute for those who served in world war i and also marks the National Engagement about the whole country coming behind this extraordinary effort to deal with this cataclysm that was happening in europe. This tower really is a spectacular sight. Theres an elevator that runs up on the inside and many of our guests like to go up and capture the fantastic views of the plains of missouri and kansas from the tower. At nielghttime if view is extraordinary. Itll really quite beautiful. Looking south down the mall when thats in the summertime or in the spring its brilliant green. Its very engaging sight which is most fitting tribute to this tower that rests upon the memorial courtyard. This memorial courtyard is used for all sorts of activities. Most notably our memorial day ceremonies and its packed here for us honoring those who served and continue to serve and have lost their lives. Another important part of the architecture of the memorial is the two sphinx. This is looking east and this looking towards the horrors of war. Looking to the past. Its eyes covered because of the horror of war. One of the truths which are told here at the museum is to speak about the courage, about the commitment and sacrifice of those who served and equally to speak about wars horror. We tell the full story of their true price of liberty and democracy. This sphinx well articulates. Its eyes covered because of the horror of war. Thats matched on the sphinx looking to the west with its eyes covered because of the unknown future. Thats also captured in this sphinx that we see here that are such an important part of the story which is told here at the memorial. The story that you see in this sphinx of past and present and sacrifice and hope for the future is expressed in the great fe freeze which is just on the other side of that mall just beyond this wall. Lets go down there and talk about the great freeze. Here we are on the north side of the memorial and what i think is a striking masterpiece. This great freeze which was part of the original idea of the memorial but this, itself, the design wasnt settled on until after the memorial opened and then the carving and its completion didnt happen until about 1935. Really very large carving in this wall that tells this compelling story of wars sacrifice and destruction represented here on the east side of the freeze and then on the west side looking forward to the future. This dual story that the founders of the memorial envisioned. We see there are several images up here of courage, of being wounded. Theres family experiencing sorrow and tragedy because of loss of life and then in the center, then the recognition of loss and then looking towards the future. Also represented in what might be an angel of hope. Then it pushes to through the right hand side of the west side of this freeze and images of the future of prosperity, of industry, of hope for the future and those things are represented here. Then right across the top of the words these have dead bear the tortures of sacrifice and service. Their bodies returned to dust but their work liveth forever more. May achieve and cherish, adjust and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. I think quite a statement that ably represents the type of vision that the memorial has and the hope that the founders of this memorial experienced for a more prosperous future in the course of honoring those who served in the great war. Its sometimes said that museums and memorials are the 20th senecentury cathedrals. People gather here and remember those important to them and reflect upon the values ta are important to us and that we all share that make us who we are. Thats true of this memorial, of the museum and these green spaces that we have here. This is a place where the symphony performs on memorial day weekend for the concert, where people gather for picnics and is true of the entire 26 acre lot. One of the reasons why the museum, a memorial is located here on this hill overlooking the city is because right here is union station. This is the railway exchange, the Railway Station where 60 of all u. S. Troops passed during world war i and ii. It occupies an important part of the journey of those servicemen and women who went to war in both world war i and ii. After the memorial was opened in 1926, for those who served in world war ii, coming through here and seeing the tribute being paid for those who served and the courage of those who serve, no doubt would have been an inspiring and encouraging symbol for them as they are then left to go to war. Also on the north side is the generals war. A tribute for those five generals gathered here. First time they have been together after the war in 1921. Lets go down to the generals wall and talk about that. Were standing now on the north side of the property. North side of the memorial at the generals wall. This honors those five generals who gathered here in 1921. The five allied commanders. At a time when you couldnt hop on a plane. There was no private planes to bring them here. It was quite a journey. These five allied commanders, here they gathered to dedicate the land upon which then the memorial was to be built. It seems to me that they would honor the u. S. With their presence and to mark the significant contribution, the compelling contribution that the United States made to ending world war i. Of course, what was so extraordinary was the impact that it ended up having on the United States. You cant think of the American Century without understanding the enduring impact that world war i had on the beginning of that period. Its personal for me too. For australians world war i is the birthing moment for the nation. In the United States the most compelling stories are ones of victory. For australia the compelling story over the nations birth is defe defeat. A new nation off the war and then this ka at the trtsa tsa c. Barely a household that wasnt impacted. 40 . A rate of more than 65 . It had a profound impact on the nation of australia. Of what it means to be an australian. For me as a child, as a young adult, as an adult living, growing. The story of world war i and its meaning for the nation and for what it means to be a Global Citizen its part of my story. I have a letter written from him from france in 1917 to his family. I have his shaving kit. Also deeply part of my family story as it is for so many people around the world. Every continent of the world was swept up into this war. The scale of which still difficult to fully understand and grasp how it completely reshaped the world, including my family. Its personal for me as much as it is a national and global story. Every month for the past 20 years one of the nations top n nonfiction authors have joined us for a fascinating three hours about their work. Just for 2018, indepth is changing course. We have invited 12 fiction authors onto our set. Authors of National Security thrillers, science writers, social commentators. Their books have been read by millions around the country and around the world. So, if you are a reader, plan to join us for indepth on book tv. Its an Interactive Program the first sunday of every month. It lets you call in and talk directly to your favorite authors. It all kicks off on sunday, january 7th at noon with david ignatius, a Washington Post columnist and the author of ten National Security thrillers. You can join us live on sunday, january 7th or watch it on demand at booktv. Org. A century ago on april 6th, 1917, congress voted to declare war on germany and enter world war i. More than four million american men and women served in uniform and more than 100,000 died. Next, American History tv marks the 100th anniversary. We travel to the National World war i museum and memorial in kansas city, missouri to speak with authors and historians about the u. S. Role in what was then called the great war. We learned about the creation of the memorial to honor those who served and about artifacts in the museums collection. This is about two and a half hours. 100 years ago on april 16th, 19 1917, president Woodrow Wilson signed a