American Presidential Victory Columns

I was discussing a Roman victory column with a friend last night that depicted Roman soldiers carrying a giant menorah, the spoils of a war against the Jews.

We then discussed what might go on the equivalent monuments set up by American presidents. Although many of these ideas are post-1900, the tradition would probably need to be set up pre-1900 (possibly during the early days of the Republic, when classicism was much stronger) in order to stick around to the present day.

1. Washington-The suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion

2. Jefferson-The Barbary Pirates. Perhaps some material pertaining to the Louisiana Purchase as well, since this could be construed as a conquest even though it was done without war.

3. Polk-Some scenes from the Mexican War. Perhaps the fall of Mexico City or the hanging of the "San Patricios."

4. Lincoln-Various scenes from the Civil War. Perhaps the moment where he went into Richmond and sat at Jefferson Davis's desk.

5. McKinley-The Battle of Manila Bay

6. FDR-Something from D-Day or the Battle of the Bulge.

7. Lyndon Johnson-Tet. It was a military victory, although a political and propaganda defeat.

8. George H.W. Bush-Lots and lots of surrendering Iraqi soldiers

9. Clinton-The NATO bombing of the Bosnian Serb army and/or the retreat of the Yugoslav army from Kosovo.

10. George W. Bush-The hanging of Saddam Hussein

11. Obama-The sniping of the pirates, perhaps something to do with the current Afghan offensive.
 
Fun idea! For GWB I don't think he'd focus on the hanging, since that was carried out in a hurried and (for him/us) embarassing way by his enemies in Iraq, not by Americans. The capture of Baghdad and the toppling of his statues would be more likely.

I'd suggest Truman's Berlin Airlift.
 
With Ronald Reagan you can have him celebrating the invasion of Grenada with prisoners. In the same vain George HW Bush can have a victory column celebrating the liberation of Panama with the prisoner Noriega in the parade.
 
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