Project Condorcet - Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arc de Triomphe, Paris 8ème - Photo Lycée Condorcet
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Military Cemetery, VA - Photo Lycée Condorcet
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
In the case of the Unknown Soldiers we can’t talk of the identity of the individual because we don’t know who they are; they are anonymous. These soldiers who have died have never been identified. A movement was born after the First World War to commemorate them with a single tomb of an unidentified body. Memorials are present in many countries but Paris and Washington’s interest us in the context of our project on relationships between the United States and France.
After mutual help during the 18th century, the French and the Americans fought together during the major conflicts in World War I and World War II. Soldiers died and sacrificed themselves for a common cause. The American invasion at Normandy gave to the occupied French country the hope of Freedom.
The Tomb of Unknown Soldier is in the capital of France, in Paris. The tomb is under another great monument in France: L’Arc De Triomphe. On this tomb are a flame with a seal and inscription. The flame was turned on November 11th 1923 and represents both the sacrifice of the Unknowns and the hope that this type of tragedy will not happen again. The shield represents the defence against tyranny and the swords mean conflict. The grave is decorated with gold and with flowers replaced daily to pay tribute. It is written on the tomb: “Ici Repose Un Soldat Français Mort Pour La Patrie”.
The Tomb of Unknown Soldier in the United States is located in the military cemetery of Arlington, just outside Washington DC. This tomb is situated on a hill above the capital. It shelters three Unknown soldiers: from the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War. The gravestone is made of marble from Colorado and weighs 79 tons. The tomb is guarded night and day, every day of the year, by a soldier who follows strict ritual. It is written on the tomb “Here Rests In Honoured Glory an American Soldier Known but To God”.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a way of making people remember what happened years ago, when their ancestors fought for liberty against tyranny. Most importantly: they fought side by side with new companions from other countries. When we visit the tombs in Paris and Washington, we are filled with an impression of pride in our nation, then sorrow at the absence of humanity in the act of war. We see it as a sign of respect for those fallen, but also as a tribute to those who survived. The tombs send the message to not repeat the same mistakes or our past and to never forget the sacrifice of those who died.
Odile Bénard, Philippe Moume-Tanga, Fabien Morgan, Marion Ruisseau, Zakariya Benjebara