Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is an obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, afterwards the first President of the United States.

The monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world's tallest stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 555 feet 5¹⁄₈ inches (169.294 m). Taller monumental columns exist, but they are neither all stone nor true obelisks.

Construction of the monument began in 1848, but was halted from 1854 to 1877, and finally completed in 1884. Upon completion, it became the world's tallest structure, a title previously held by the Cologne Cathedral. The monument held this designation until 1889 when the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France was completed.

Washington Monument in The Guns of the South

The Washington Monument was being built as a reminder of George Washington in his namesake city. However, construction of the monument had been halted for some time with the outbreak of the Second American Revolution.

Following the capture of Washington City, Confederate soldiers camped all around the Monument.

Washington Monument in The Hot War

The Washington Monument was reduced to a melted, toppled stub by the Soviet atomic bomb which leveled Washington, DC in May 1952.

Washington Monument in Southern Victory

The Washington Monument had been in construction when the War of Secession began. Construction was halted while the war was fought. After the war, despite the damage to George Washington’s reputation, construction continued until the obelisk was completed.

When the Great War began in 1914, the monument was destroyed by Confederate artillery during the battle over the city of Washington, DC. The Confederates were themselves saddened, as they were fond of George Washington too. After the war, the US government elected to rebuild it.

In the inter-war years the monument was viewed with mixed opinions as many saw its connection to Washington, whom they viewed as a Virginian.

When the Second Great War started in 1941, the monument was again damaged, this time, by CS Razorback bombers, but it was not destroyed like it was in the last war.

Washington Monument in Worldwar

The Washington Monument was melted down to a stump when the Race destroyed Washington, DC with an explosive-metal bomb in the Autumn of 1942. The grisly picture of the destroyed monument impressed upon senior officials of all the Big Five countries the unacceptable fatal danger of allowing the Race to maintain a monopoly on atomic weapons.