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The Pentagon is certainly one of the most iconic buildings located in the Washington, D.C. area. So recognized and established within American military culture that the word "Pentagon" itself has become a metonym for the Department of Defense. In The Pentagon: A History, author Steve Vogel overviews a history of the building itself.
The first two-thirds of the book deal with the conception, design, and construction of the building. Headed by a man mostly forgotten to history, Brehon Somervell, with a large personality and even larger plans for the building. It came about when the United States began mobilizing its military, especially the Army, in 1940 and 1941, before even entering World War II. The Department of War found itself scattered across Washington, D.C. in numerous offices without a central command center to organize the massive mobilization efforts. President Roosevelt, and top War Department officials, were convinced a new, large building would be needed. Enter the likes of such men as Somervell and contractor John McShain who took on the large project.
The building was hastily conceived and the book explores the reason for some of its quirky designs. The pentagonal shape was originally left over when the building was originally going to be built north of its actual location on a oddly shaped plot of land. When the site was moved, the pentagon shape was already finalized. The short height of the building, only five stories tall, also came about because D.C. traditionally does not have large skyscrapers and the Pentagon was not going to disrupt the view.
The construction set off at a rapid pace. It only became faster after Pearl Harbor and the U.S.'s entry into the war that the need for the new War Department building became all the more evident. People were moving in long before the building was complete, although in rather poor working conditions as construction continued. The building would be completed in early 1943 overbudget and only slightly behind schedule. The book also looks at events directly following World War II as the Department of War was reorganized into the Department of Defense.
After that, the book flash forwards to 1967 with America in the midst of the Vietnam War. In October of that year, a large protest with tens of thousands of protesters marched on the Pentagon. Pentagon leaders planned ahead and mobilized a few hundred troops around the building for protection. However, problems with communication impeded the effort allowing some protesters to make it in the building.
Moving forward to the 1990s, the building was in a state of decay. Rusting pipes and other defects, brought to the attention by "Pentagon Mayor" David Cooke, led to a project to renovate and upgrade the entire building.
One section of the renovation was complete on the morning of September 11, 2001 when, during the terrorist attacks on that day, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building destroying a section of the building and killing many. However, advances such as bomb-proof windows were credited with saving lives.
Reconstruction of the damaged portion of the Pentagon began the next month with the goal of September 11, 2002, the one-year anniversary of the attack, for completion. Many said it was an unrealistic and overly-optimistic goal, but due to the fierce leadership and non-stop work from builders, the rebuilding was completed weeks ahead of schedule. A memorial to those who died in the attack would also be built.
I found this to be a very fascinating look at the history of the Pentagon. This is not a military history, but a history solely focusing on the building itself. Highly recommended.
I was stationed in the Pentagon for five years and really wanted to know more about this iconic and historic building that was planned and built in only 17 months to serve as the headquarters for all branches of America's armed forces. This book fills the bill, is a great read, and is an amazing story. It covers not just the construction on the building in the early months of World War II, but its history through 9/11, its impact on Washington, DC and its significance as an iconic symbol of American power and the largest office building in the world. Highly recommended!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first saw this book, and actually purchased it solely on the recommendation of a friends. 20 pages in, I was hooked. While probably most people on the planet have heard of the Pentagon, probably very few - even most of those who have worked in the building - know the full story of how the building was conceived, the myriad political/engineering/architectural/social issues involved in its genesis and construction. This account has it all.
It focuses on the key players - Brehon Somervell in particular, who was critical to the building proceeding despite growing political opposition in the pre-Pearl Harbour political climate, though some concessions were required (such as it not being built in the preferred location, next to the Memorial Bridge at a place called Arlington Farm as it would upset the aesthetic from Lee House to the Lincoln Memorial. So it was moved half a mile downriver to its present location. There were also strict limitations on its size. Following Pearl Harbour, Somervell dispensed with the size and even budgetary limitations (it eventually cost about twice the original appropriation). By focusing on the individuals concerned as a theme throughout, the book retained a strong human touch. I never thought a book about a building being built could be so interesting - the imagery offered by many of the original inhabitants is a real strength of Vogel's work.
The real highlight for me, however, was the final section dealing with the reconstruction of the Pentagon after 9/11. It was one of the most compelling accounts of the attacks that day that I've ever read - again mainly due to the thoughtful way Vogel meshes the accounts of survivors with the affect of the aircraft's impact on the building. This creates a very strong and engrossing narrative - and ties some of the points made earlier about some seemingly arcane engineering details.
This is a great book, and I'd suggest one for anyone interested in US politics, US military history, and of course anyone looking for a credible participant's account of what happened on 9/11.
Mr. Vogel has written a very interesting history of a unique and famous building. Of course, it isn't just the building, it's the people, the times, the purpose for the building at the time it was built, the unfolding drama of the United States taking its place in the world after World War II, the Viet Nam protests, and most compelling, the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. I must say that initially, I did not think I would want to read a 500 page book about a building, even if it was the Pentagon; but as I perused the pages and the pictures, I thought: this could be very interesting. And it was. The book was very readable, and very insightful. You will learn quite a bit about how people handle power and influence. The brief overview of James Forrestal and other early Defense Department leaders was quite interesting. I found myself quite taken by the descriptions of the courageous people who first built the Pentegon and later, the even more courageous people who, in one year, repaired the extensive 9/11 damage. I commend this book to all who seek to understand more, not only about the Pentagon, but about Washington in the 1940s, the military, and the transition of America to a world power after World War II.
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