Goin’ to Kansas City

I have a very good friend, a reader and ‘comprehender’ of history, a fellow board gamer, and a beer aficionado par excellence. Let’s call him, Jim … well, we really should, that’s his name.

One day last year he came to me and declared, “We’re going to Kansas City.”

I said “Why?”

“Because of the National WWI museum.”

Surprised, I responded. “In Kansas City?”

“Yeah,” he said, “ I spent some time there but was only able to get half-way through the museum. It was wonderful. I want to see the rest of it. So, I’m going back and you’re going with me. I’m buying the tickets – no arguments.”

I should argue?, “Ok.”

We went. We’re back. I’m going to tell you about it.

First, a little background. You, like me, might be curious as to WHY the National WWI Museum is situated squarely in the Midwest, well off the beaten track. And that it seems would be our shared misconception. Kansas City was and still is a railroad transportation hub for livestock and agriculture and manufactured goods.

At the time of the Civil War KC (as Kansas city is now referred) was a small settlement on the Missouri River – with big ambitions. Railroads were the catalyst, making her the key transportation center between markets in the South, the Southwest and the West to markets in Chicago and the Northeast. Its population mushroomed; Its people grew rich.

When WWI began, KC’s elaborate Union Station was brand new, it became the nexus for troop and food transport. Wartime enterprises thrived. When WWI ended midst the Spanish Flu epidemic, 100,000 residents cheered victory in the streets. A scant two weeks later, KC’s army of wealthy entrepreneurs directed a massive crowd-sourcing campaign to erect a monumental war memorial, Within only ten days, 83,000 donors had raised $2.5 million ($35 million in today’s dollars).

The resulting design is an architectural triumph completed and opened in 1926. One hundred and fifty thousand attended its inauguration, overseen by the then President, Calvin Coolidge. The 217-foot tower topped by the a flame of “Inspiration” and the four guardian spirits of Courage, Honor, Patriotism and Sacrifice can be seen for miles. To either side of the tower stand two massive stone structures, Memory Hall and Exhibit Hall.

Two great stone sphinxes stand guard in front of the tower. One faces East, the direction of the war just ended. This is “Memory.” The other faces West. This is “Future.” Both creatures cover their eyes with their wings. The former to be shielded from the horrors of war. The latter to be shielded from an unknown future … and well it might be shielded, right? On the entrance wall to the fore is a great frieze, largest modern sculpture of its kind in the world representing our man’s progress from war to peace. This is fitting as the conflagration that was WWI was to be the War to end all Wars. Personally, I feel it is unfinished and should ultimately be cyclical.

Beneath this massive memorial is the museum itself holding over 300,000 war mementoes. Visitors enter across a glass bridge beneath which blossom 9,000 red poppies, each representing 1000 soldiers lost in a war that claimed over 20,000,000 soldiers and civilians.

A brief film, an amalgam of period photos and film introduce visitors to the period and historical triggers to the catastrophe that unfolded. Following this stunning presentation, one follows time-lines describing the detailed events of each month of the war.

It is difficult to bring to life the sensory overload the museum provides - I’ll try. If you visit here are a few highlights you’ll see: an array of authentic artillery, several examples of bi-planes hanging from the ceiling, charts of statistics galore, interactive displays regarding tactics and weaponry, poignant stories of individual soldiers on all sides, a vast collection of patriotic posters from all nations, a life-size, walk-in representation of a 17” artillery shell hole and a multi-media visit to the front.

The absolute highlight of our visit was a VR experience that takes the visitor, one at a time, on a stunningly realistic immersion into the horrors of WWI. After one is equipped with goggles and earphones the adventure disorientingly transports one into the woven basket of a dirigible gondola high in the sky, occupant of just one of a fleet of airships. Cold wind whips you amidst bursts of anti-aircraft fire as bi-plane sorties whiz by. Mist forms and suddenly you make your way down a plank walkway in a claustrophobic trench while soldiers fire their weapons all around you and men climb up and over to charge the enemy. The trench twists and turns.You enter a bunker scattering rats before you. The door slams shut and a horrendous artillery barrage commences. The door opens on a soldier being blown apart before your very eyes. You feel something soft beneath your feet. Period tanks advance and are picked off one by one, their crews exit only to die to bullets and flame. By now, you are are feeling thoroughly vulnerable and disoriented when fog sets in, The battlefield fades. Looking up you see suspended high above you, a half dozen threatening bombs. Blink and the bombs have multiplied and are half again closer. Blink again and the sky is blotted out with an immense rain of descending ordinance. Concentrating on the ominous narration in the background, you look up again to see that you are now quite literally surrounded by these falling shells, One hovers just inches above your head. Only then does the operator direct you to remove your headset. Shaking and in shock, you do as asked. My poor words can hardly describe the horrifyingly real experience. We were later told we were lucky to have experienced it as the VR exhibit was shutting down the very next day.

The trip to KC also included reuniting with my Lil’ Sista’s family across the state line in Kansas. as well as visits to four local breweries where we sampled an amazing variety of excellent beers. We also scarfed down our share of world-famous Kansas City Bar-B-Q. And we spent a day wandering an expansive Irish Festival where we reveled in Irish works of art, music, dance, and whiskey.

All in all, it was a highly satisfactory weekend excursion (We won’t talk about the two hour and forty-five minute delay on the tarmac before take-off, surrounded by screaming kids and a ventilation system that was not working properly … well, we won’t do more than mention it anyway 😊).

Dear reader, visit Kansas, City Missouri. It’s worth your while.