Visit - National Museum of the United States Army

 Visit

Photo 1 Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis

Cool NMUSA diorama depicting warfare in Modern Iraq

Builder: unknown Scale: unknown

Photo 2 Copyright Nicholas Kalis

WWII Tank Diorama 1:1 Scale at NMUSA

Want to see some great 1:1 dioramas or even a few small scale dioramas? Visit the National Museum of the United States Army which opened on Veteran's Day 2020. Even if dioramas are not your thing, this is a museum worth visiting. Be prepared for a bit of an exercise in political correctness while there. Great pains were taken everywhere to tell the story of various ethnic and racial groups comprising our nation's fighting force - a story worth telling no doubt just that at some point it seemed a bit force fed and over-done. A visitor from abroad might reach the conclusion we are not one nation but many nations.

Expounding the Great Man Theory, Carlyle wrote "The history of the world is but the biography of great men". While Carlyle may overstate the case, this museum strays just as errantly in the opposite direction - by their telling, history is made exclusively by the little guy. Having visited both Britain's Imperial War Museum www, iwm.org.uk in London and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History I experienced a bit of deja vu; both museums mounted extensive exhibits on the WWII home front down to recreating period living rooms. Seems left-leaning curators want to leave out from this story the great men who led in WWII - little mention of either Churchill or Eisenhower at either museum. And try mentioning this omission to Imperial War Museum staff and see the virulent response you get - ask me how I know. The National Museum of the United States Army carries on this leftist tradition; to Leftist historians/curators, the worker bees are the ones who get everything done (think Lenin and Marx here). Apparently. Leftists - whose hand can clearly be seen at all three museums - see the folks sitting in the living room as more important that say American servicemen and admirals who won the Battle of Midway.

Their introductory movie, shown in a neat circular theater, was inspiring yet a bit short on history. While I recognize this museum is devoted to the history of the United States Army, it does take upon itself to discuss, through its exhibits, the various wars fought by said army. Since I have a maternal Greek Uncle Nicholas who lost a limb stopping Mussolini's forces, I was troubled to find no mention that the first victory of the European theater was when Greek forces had stopped the Italian invasion of their homeland. News from Greece cheered up the heretofore dejected Americans when they learned that one free people had stood up to the Axis and defeated the Italians. Some claim this victory decided WWII as Hitler's invasion of Russia was delayed when German forces were deployed to conquer Greece where the Italians failed. The delay led Germans to face the Russian winter unprepared.

Another museum shortcoming - of a different sort - is that none of its historical artifacts were labeled with their provenance or attribution. In other words, who donated each piece? Were they museum purchases or gifts? If a gift, who made the gift? Was the origin the "original" collection of the museum? Did someone or some group provide the funds for a particular acquisition?

Due to the somewhat isolated location of this museum, located on the grounds of Fort Belvoir, finding a place to eat could pose a challenge. Not to worry, should you get hungry or thirsty, the Museum Cafe should hit the spot.

1775 Liberty Drive

Fort Belvoir Virginia 22060

At this time parking is both plentiful and free. Gosh though, they seem to have overdone it with parking reserved for those of limited mobility or driving a fuel efficient automobile. Are so many of us in a debilitated state? Apologies to elderly veterans but I suspect an elderly veteran will most likely be driven to the entrance by a companion. The nanny state has run amok. What next? Do I get rewarded with a better parking spot if I bring along a person of the oppressed group of the month?