KC’s World War I Museum
So I’m not big on seeing items of dress, guns, ammo and such which they sure have a lot of, but here is a list of things I found interesting:
– When you walk in there is glass bridge- underneath are a field of poppy’s- 1,000 of them each representing 9,000 people killed in the war. That is 9 million people, people!
– I never even knew what this war was about: here is a simplistic version: world powers in that area were: Germany ,Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, Great Britain and Russia- the mapped borders were very different than they are today. Slovania was avoiding Austia-Hungary control. Austria-Hungary next in line ruler: Frans Ferdinand was visting Solvania and executed. Austria-Hungary declared war on Solvania. Germany, Austria-Hungary were politically aligned. So Germany declared war as well. France, Great Britain, Russia were aligned and so they declared war. It started in 1914 and ended officially Nov. 1918.
– US got into war in 1917 because Germany was blockading shipments and interrupting our inport/ export with Europe.
– When Germany/ Austria- Hungary were defeated the allied nations wanted to impose strict penalties– they stripped them of a lot of land (Alsace Lorainne–went to France in 1918 important to me b/c that is were my German/ French ancestors are from– still a question of whether that makes me German or French?) The Germans were extremely angry and embarrassed- this allowed for the rise of Hitler as one of his platforms was vengence for WWI and Germans being embarrassed and still angry backed that platform.
– Outside you can go up in the Liberty Memorial Tower– 217 feet up- they mentioned that they get wasps up there in the summer. They aren’t kidding- there are wasps everywhere. I tried to hide behind my mom most of the time who wouldn’t let us leave the tower until we looked at every single landmark around it. She actually was swatting at the wasps and saying I wish we had a fly swatter– she really is a mama bear- unfortunately putting her baby bear into greater harm but with good intent? The tower doesn’t actually have real fire coming out of the top it is a mixture of steam and lights that make it appear to be a never-ending fire for those lost.
– Adorning the tower are two large stone sphinxes. One “Memory” faces east with wings shielding its face from the horrors of the European battlefields. “Future” faces west with wings hiding its face to symbolize the future which is yet unseen. I like symbolism but I want to see there faces- maybe they cut some costs and got an average sculptor who wasn’t so great at sphinx faces…
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