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The National D-Day Memorial and the
Dilemma of American Memory
BY KATHLEEN CONTI
The card read, “Kathleen Conti, abstain.” A
living in Moscow in fall 2009,
The moderator had asked us to write whether we would speak for or against
the bust of Josef Stalin recently installed
at the National D-Day Memorial. Unlike the veterans who thronged the forum
on July 7, 2010, in downtown Bedford, Virginia, I had not come to voice my opinion; I was simply there out of curiosity, for this palpable, emotional reaction to Stalin was familiar.
4 LYNCH’S FERRY
I witnessed the controversial restorations of the Kurskaya
metro station, which included elements praising
Stalin. I had not expected to encounter a similar controversy in
Central Virginia.
Common threads united those
speaking against the sculpture. They were older men, usually veterans. Several were volunteers and donors at the Memorial; many threatened they would no longer be either if Stalin remained. Curiously, some stated
they would rather see a bust of Adolf Hitler. The great majority had not fought on D-Day or even in World
War II; however, many had served in Korea or Vietnam. Their anger became understandable in the context of their particular military service. The bust of Stalin seemed to devalue their sacrifice in wars waged against communism. “What really kind of surprises me,” John Briscoe said to laughter and applause, “is that, at this point, somebody hasn’t wrapped a chain, taken a tractor, and dragged that monster down [U.S. Route] 460.” 1 The next speaker offered to lend his tractor.
1 Ashley Roberts, “Joseph Stalin controversy continues at public forum,” WSLS10 and The News and Advance video, 2:34. July 8, 2010. 
