http://www.slate.com/id/2173568/nav/tap3/
This is quite interesting. I generally agree with the author's opinion about the literalness of American monuments, although it's impossible to judge something on that alone. The Vietnam Memorial's power is not diminished by the names carved on the black marble wall.
Of all the memorials I've seen, the WW2 Memorial in DC has got to be the MOST UGLY!!! I hate hate hate it. It's stupid and ugly and boring and a total eye sore.