INFO VINE * The History of The Pentagon *

Photo Courtesy: [Alex Wong/Getty Images News/Getty Images]
The Pentagon is one of the most powerful buildings in operation and has been protecting America and its allies from anything that they find a threat. If you are someone that is interested in learning more about this building that changed the way America operated then you should check out these amazing images of the Pentagon that will give you a look inside the history of its upbringing. The Pentagon has been around since World War II and has been a symbol of the U.S. Military.

The decisions that are made when America is in any type of conflict go through the Pentagon first and there is a lot of sensitive information stored here so the security at the Pentagon is the highest it can be. The building is so large that it operates as its own little city and who knows how many levels are actually underground. If you want to find out more about this secret building and the people who run it, then check out these next slides to learn more about the history of the Pentagon. 

Munitions Building

Before the Pentagon was built the United States Department of War had its base of operations in a building called the Munitions Building which was located near the National Mall and was built during World War I as a temporary building. As the years went on the U.S. decided to make another Munitions building in the 1930s since most of their war offices were all over the place, unfortunately even this one didn't have enough space. 



Photo Courtesy: [United States Navy/Wikimedia Commons]


It wasn't until Hitler started invading European countries that the United States Department of War wanted to make another building that would be the central place for all the war offices. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Franklin D. Roosevelt was president at the time war broke out in Europe and the Secretary of War Henry Stimson urgently told him that the War Department needed more space. So Roosevelt made it so that the planning and construction of the new building would start immediately. Even though the United States wasn't at war with Germany yet they knew that the war would turn out to be a repeat of what happened 20 years before.



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


Building the Pentagon was one of the smartest decisions made before the U.S. got dragged into World War II, if there was no Pentagon the War Department wouldn't have operated so efficiently. 

Map of Washington DC

There were many proposed sites for the location of the Pentagon but one thing that was common about all of them was that they needed to be located close to the U.S. Capitol. One site that was a possible location was Arlington Farms which bordered Arlington National Cemetery. The reason that this site wasn't chosen was that it was blocking the view of several buildings and monuments. 



Photo Courtesy: [Photo 12/Universal Images Group/Getty Images]


President Roosevelt decided to have the new War Department to be built at the Hoover Airport Feild, which didn't obstruct the view of any buildings or monuments. There were a number of homes and businesses that were cleared out for the construction of the Pentagon. 

Leslie Groves

Lieutenant General Leslie Groves was one of America's top military engineers that was in charge of the construction of the Pentagon and was also known for his role as director of the Manhattan Project. When Groves was promoted to the rank of major, it was right around the time that the U.S. decided that they needed more facilities for military operations. 



Photo Courtesy: [Universal History Archive Universal Images Group Getty Images]


After two years of experience directing various military construction sites, Groves was told that the construction of the Pentagon was being planned and that he was going to oversee the completion. He was one of the smartest men that were present during the war and he was one of the main reasons we won. 

Construction of The Pentagon

The construction of the Pentagon began on September 11, 1941, and was a tremendous task to complete.  Since there was a shortage of steel at the time, the U.S. decided to make the structure mostly out of reinforced concrete. There were 680,000 tons of concrete that were used to construct the Pentagon, these large loads of concrete were transported on the Potomac River. 



Photo Courtesy: [Jeffrey Markowitz/Sygma/Getty Images]


Once the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, the speed of the construction ramped up as the United States was now at war with both Japan and Germany. The Pentagon was completed on January 15, 1943, and was in operation a couple of months later. 

A Large Amount of Land

In order for the Pentagon to be constructed, there was a large amount of land that was needed and the Hoover Airport Field was the best solution. Amazingly this building was only supposed to be temporary and would be used for another purpose once the end of World War II happened but after the war, the War Department didn't want to give the building up and it has been in operation ever since.



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


For being a temporary building, the Pentagon was built in record time and is the world's largest low-rise office building at around 6,500,000 square feet. 

The Layout of the Pentagon

The Pentagon was designed in a pentagon shape because the original site that it was supposed to be constructed on was surrounded by five roads that were in that particular shape. So when President Roosevelt decided that he wanted to move the Pentagon to a more suitable location the builders decided to keep the same design because it would cost too much money to redesign everything as the parts were already being made and President Roosevelt loved the design. 



Photo Courtesy: [Orlando/Hulton Archive/Getty Images]


Amazingly you can walk from end to end in around 7 minutes since the design of the building is in the pentagon shape, this was a different design that was seen in old castles and forts. 

Pentagon Security

Security was tough at the Pentagon and this was for a good reason as it was the United States' most important building with highly sensitive information that had everything to do about the war. The main reason that the Pentagon was built was because of the Second World War and every decision that was made about the war was going through this building first. 



Photo Courtesy: [PhotoQuest/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


The Pentagon was even the place where the Mahannatan Project was being planned and the Operation of D-Day. Every entrance to the building was highly guarded 24/7 and documents were always needed as the U.S. was afraid of enemy spies. 

V Mail

During World War II, there was a vast majority of men that were abroad fighting in almost every country around the world and when there are men abroad there is bound to be a constant flow of letters back home. Since there were millions of men abroad the amount of mail to transport was becoming unmanageable so during the 1940s a British soldier suggested the use of airgraph. 



Photo Courtesy: [PhotoQuest/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


The airgraph was used to process film that was used to copy a large number of letters which made it a hundred times easier to transport. Once the Pentagon found out about this, they had several machines installed and started making V-Mail. 

Segregation Lifted

When the Pentagon was built it was designed for racial segregation as the state of Virginia at the time had laws enforced so there were twice the amount of restrooms that were made for Whites and Blacks. But right before the Pentagon was opened, President Roosevelt visited the building to get a first look when he saw all the signs that said Whites Only he demanded that they should be taken down and the laws of segregation not be enforced. 



Photo Courtesy: [Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images]


The Governor of Virginia was furious when he found out what President Roosevelt said and tried to protest against him but in the end, Roosevelt put his foot down and told him that we need to be united to fight this World War. That was the only building in the state, during that time, that abolished racial segregation. 

Pentagon Records

Since the Pentagon is the U.S. Military's largest war office, there is a number of top-secret documents that have been stored there since its completion in 1943. During World War II, everything was on paper so there was a large portion of the building used as storage for all these files. There were tons of top-secret projects and missions that were going on during the war that needed to stay safe from any prying eyes. 



Photo Courtesy: [Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images]


The Manhattan Project was being planned here as well which was the project that was developing the Atomic bomb that would be dropped on Japan; secrets like these were being held here. 

Pentagon Office Rooms, WWII

The Pentagon has been the main hub for American intelligence during and after World War II and is one of the main reasons why the building was constructed, as before all these offices would be separate from each other and the information wouldn't be relayed as fast. There were thousands of workers that had specific jobs to help the U.S. defeat the Axis, many rooms like these were all throughout the Pentagon. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


After the Second World War, the Pentagon still collected intelligence on other countries that it found a threat to the United States and this included Russia which was the world's other superpower. 

Pentagon Hotline To Moscow

The Second World War was won with the help of Russia and the United States wanted to keep the Soviets as close allies since the two were undefeatable together. Before the relationship between the two superpowers started crumbling, there was a hotline installed at the Pentagon that was used to contact Moscow if there was an emergency that would occur. The hotline was a keyboard that sent messages directly to the Russian leadership in Moscow. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


Unfortunately, the relationship between the two started crumbling as the Soviets wanted to impose their Communists ideals on parts of Europe that they occupied and they wanted to take more land, this is when the U.S. decided to put its foot down.

 Daily Life

The daily life for the workers of the Pentagon was great as it was one of the best jobs to have in the city, everyone that was working for the Pentagon when it opened was proud of their nation and wanted to help in any way that they could to achieve victory. The parking lot was huge as there were around 20,000 people that were employed at the Pentagon at the time and this required a large piece of land. 



Photo Courtesy: [AFP/AFP/Getty Images]


Since there were thousands of employees the U.S. had to test these employees to make sure they had the best working for them, there were people all over the country that were hired to work here. 

Lunch Time 

The inner courtyard was used as the place to eat lunch when the Pentagon was opened and it is uncertain that the courtyard is still used for lunches as security is a lot tighter since recent events but the image shows employees enjoying their time on a nice summer day. There was a large number of women that were employed during World War II as a large majority of men were deployed overseas, this gave them the opportunity to help their country. 



Photo Courtesy: [Keystone/Gamma Keystone/Getty Images]


All of the employees that worked for the Pentagon were decently paid and enjoyed working at the most important building in the world. 

Switchboard Room 1952

The switchboard room was one of the most important rooms in the Pentagon as it served as the central place for communication, anything from receiving calls for the President or different offices calling one another came through this room. The operators at the time were all female workers as they were the best at keeping track of the calls and it gave them a decent-paying job. 



Photo Courtesy: [PhotoQuest/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


Operators would have to connect and disconnect cables that were located in front of them on a board that allowed them to switch the line to the destination the caller wanted, this was an old way of trying to get a hold of someone. 

Not Too Far From Home

Another thought that was taken into mind when the Pentagon was constructed was that they wanted the building to be close and easy to access for the employees that would be working there. The Pentagon was placed in the middle of 3 freeways and was in the perfect spot for employees to access whichever way they lived. 



Photo Courtesy: [PhotoQuest/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


Most of the employees only lived around 20 minutes away from work which wasn't a bad drive at all. The unique building could be seen from the freeways in all directions and can still be seen today if you ever find yourself in Washington DC. 

James Forrestal

James Forrestal was the Secretary of the Navy during the Second World War and became the first Secretary of Defense once the war ended in 1947. President Roosevelt believed in this man and wanted him to build America's Navy, even when President Roosevelt passed away, President Truman still believed in him and gave him the honor of being the first Secretary of Defense. 



Photo Courtesy: [Ullstein Bild/Ullstein Bild/Getty Images]


The Department of Defense would become the branch of government that would control the Pentagon and be in charge of what went on, this changed the way the U.S. military operated and changed the way situations were handled. 

North Atlantic Treaty Committee 1949

The North Atlantic Treaty Committee was the origin of what is now NATO, the original 12 members are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, and the United States.



Photo Courtesy: [Keystone/Gamma Keystone/Getty Images]


 The treaty was signed in 1949 and made these twelve countries sworn allies that would protect each other if any other conflict popped up in the world again, this image shows the members of the committee signing the agreement at the Pentagon. Just a couple of years after NATO was created a large majority of European states joined which totaled to a number of 30 members. 

Helicopter Pad At The Pentagon

When the helicopter was introduced to the U.S. military they took advantage of the amount of time it saved to transport people to different parts of the country. The Pentagon decided to make a couple of helicopter pads just outside of the building to help with the transportation of important visitors.



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


The helicopter changed the game in transportation and the U.S. President has a helicopter of his own. Since the Pentagon was such an important building, there had to be a couple of pads just in case the President needed to discuss something real quick. 

M16 Conference 

The Pentagon was the spot to propose new ideas for weapons of war, in the late 1950s the U.S. military was looking for a new weapon to compete with the Russian AK-47. During the Vietnam War, the M14, which was the standard rifle, wasn't able to keep up with the AK-47, so Eugene Stoner introduced the M16 assault rifle to the Pentagon. 



Photo Courtesy: [PhotoQuest/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


In 1964, the M16 rifle started to be used by U.S. troops and it was a good counter against the AK-47. There have been many inventions and weapons presented at the Pentagon as it is the perfect place to pitch an idea to the military. 

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Pentagon keeps track of everything that is going on in the world especially when other nations are becoming a threat. In 1962, the Soviet Union and America were not getting along at all and were close to being at war when the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred. These images are taken from spy planes that were deployed just over Cuba. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


These images show the build-up and missiles that were given to Cuba by the Soviet Union. It was this kind of intelligence that was being processed at the Pentagon and the kind of things that they looked out for. 

McNamara Briefing

Robert McNamara played a big role in the history of the Pentagon, he was the 8th United States Secretary of Defense and was responsible for the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Defense Supply Agency. He was one of the main people that pushed for the Vietnam War as he thought that if Communism took over Vietnam it would spread to all the countries surrounding it. 



Photo Courtesy: [AFP/AFP/Getty Images]


He was even responsible for lowering the IQ test score for military servicemen to join which resulted in over 300,000 extra troops that were able to be drafted for combat. 

Fire in the Basement

The Pentagon has experienced a couple of troubled times, the first being a fire that started in the basement in 1959. The fire started in the Air Force computer room and when it was investigated there was no foul play involved. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


Unfortunately, there was one death which was caused by the poor ventilation in the room and the computer room was on fire for about 5 hours. Firefighters reported that the computer room was extremely hot and that water from their hoses was sizzling when it hit the floor. 

JFK Pentagon Visit

The Pentagon is one of the places that the President regularly visits and this has been the case ever since it was constructed. Some of the most important conversations are discussed here and some tough decisions are as well. The U.S. President has to be briefed on all threats and situations that are happening around the world and the Pentagon is there to work hand in hand with the President to protect the country from any threat. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


That is why the Pentagon really changed the way the U.S. operates as it has a central building where everything can be discussed in confidentiality. 

Bathroom Bomb

In 1972, a bomb was planted in the bathroom of the Pentagon that was done because of the war in Vietnam. The bomb was planted by a woman by the name of Anna in the woman's bathroom on the 4th floor in the Air Force Wing. The bomb exploded and did a significant amount of damage but no one was hurt in the bombing just some computer files were destroyed. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


Not too long after, The New York Times got a call from a person that went by the name Weatherman that claimed responsibility for the bombing. In the end, the person got away with the bombing and became a professor at the University of Illinois. 

NORAD System

Since the United States became the largest superpower after World War II, they wanted a system that would allow them to monitor the whole nation. In 1958, the North American Aerospace Defense Command was created to help ensure the protection of the U.S. from any foreign threat. This command system wasn't introduced to the public until 1981 and was one of the most guarded secrets at the time. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


The plans for NORAD were being discussed at the Pentagon and were deciding that the location of NORAD should be far away from the Pentagon. So they chose the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado Springs as the place for this system that is still used today. 

Kershner Presenting His Satellite

The Transit satellite system was the first satellite that had a navigational system that was deployed into space. In 1958, Dr. Richard Kershner presented the satellite to officials at the Pentagon. They were impressed that the satellite was able to accurately provide information for the location of proposed ballistic missile sites as well as surveying. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


The satellite was launched in 1959 and was a complete success in the way that it performed. Amazingly this satellite would be in operation until 1996 which shows the outstanding technology that was behind the satellite. There have been many inventions that have been proposed at the Pentagon with many of them changing history.

Vietnam War Protests

The Vietnam War was not popular among Americans, especially the youth. There were a number of protests that were held all over the nation by millions of Americans. The Pentagon was a place that saw a fair share of protests as most Americans were tired of being at war and wanted young soldiers to stop dying. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


Sometimes these protests would get a bit violent but nothing serious was ever reported. Most of the time the Pentagon would send out the Military Police to help control the protests and make sure that things didn't get out of hand. 

Dedication of Marshall Corridor

In 1976, the Dedication of Marshall Corridor was made by William Clements who was the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense. The corridor was dedicated to General George C. Marshall who was one of America's most prominent soldiers that served his country till his death. 



Photo Courtesy: [Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


There are a number of corridors and rooms that have been dedicated to certain American heroes throughout history and they are something unique about the Pentagon. General Marshall was one of the great leaders during World War II that helped win the war and he was looked at as one of the best patriots to ever serve. 

First Female Generals

Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth Hoisington were the first females to be promoted to the rank of general. In 1970, President Nixon announced that he wanted to have a woman be promoted to the rank of brigadier general. Later that year the two women were promoted to brigadier general and were the first in U.S. history to wear the brigadier general insignia. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


The ceremony was held at the Pentagon and marked a monumental day in U.S. history. Since then there have been 13 females that have been promoted to the rank of general. 

All Sorts of Protests

Protests for the end of the Vietnam War continued until the end and really was a big part in the decision to stop the war as the people at the Pentagon realized that the American citizens didn't support the war at all and wanted there to be peace. A big reason why there were so many protests was that the draft was in place and a large majority of men that were going didn't know what they were fighting for.



Photo Courtesy: [Dick Swanson/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images]


 Unfortunately, the Vietnam War resulted in the U.S. walking away with its tail between its legs and gaining nothing from the years it was there. 

Joint Chiefs of Staff

When the Pentagon was constructed there was a big military renovation that was taking place at the same time. As a result, the U.S. created the Joint Chiefs of Staff which were advisory panels that would give military advice to the President and the Secretary of Defense. The members consisted of top military officers that spent most of their time at the Pentagon. 



Photo Courtesy: [Bettman/Bettman/Getty Images]


The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest-ranking officer in the group and is in charge of the decisions that are made to alert the President and the Secretary of Defense. 

Hall Of Heroes

The Hall of Heroes was opened in 1968 and is used for the dedication of soldiers that have been given the Medal of Honor. There have been 3,460 soldiers that have received the most cherished military award that is given by the U.S. military. Anytime that the award is presented to someone it is given out in the Hall of Heroes. 



Photo Courtesy: [Joyce Nalthchayan/AFP/Getty Images]


There are three different types of Medal of Honor awards which are Army, Sea Service, and Air Force. The names of those that have received the Medal of Honor have their name displayed in the hall and there is a reception every year for those who have earned the prestigious award. 

The Pentagon

There has been a lot that has changed since the construction of the Pentagon, there are a number of new technologies that have helped the Pentagon protect the American people from threats and new tactics that have made the world a safer place. 



Photo Courtesy: [AFP/AFP/Getty Images]


Unfortunately, there are a good amount of people that would like to see the United States fall and that is why the Pentagon has had to adapt over the years. There have been events throughout the years that have changed the way the United States operates.

River Separates Pentagon From Capital

The Pentagon is located just across the Potomac River, this was another reason why the location of the Pentagon was chosen as it was just outside of the main capital just in case the building was somehow bombed from above. 



Photo Courtesy: [Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images]


The Potomac River is the 4th largest river on the East Coast and has been a big part of Washington DC's history. The Pentagon has a little port that it has owned since it was constructed, which is used for the transportation of certain items and access to the Potomac River. 

Arlington National Cemetery

The reason why the Pentagon is only 71 feet high is that it was designed to not distort the views of Arlington National Cemetary, this was made very clear that the building wouldn't work if it was any bigger. The original spot for the Pentagon was blocking a large portion of the Arlington National Cemetery so that was the main reason why the new spot was proposed. 



Photo Courtesy: [Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images News/Getty Images]


The Arlington National Cemetary is where all the heroes of America are laid to rest and is one of the most respected places in Washington DC, there is no place more honored. 

Department of Defense

The Department of Defense is in charge of the Pentagon and the nation's armed forces. It was formed shortly after World War II and has been an important part of the course of American military achievements. Remarkably this executive branch department is the world's largest employer with around 1.5 million members that are active. 



Photo Courtesy: [Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images]


The Secretary of Defense is the person that is in charge of the world's most powerful organization. There are a plethora of agencies that are under the Department of Defense including the National Security Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency. 

Secret Service

The Pentagon holds America's most valuable secrets that any enemy would love to get their hands on. The security at the Pentagon is much different than it was in the 1940s, now there are a number of secret service and military servicemen that protect the Pentagon from any threats. It is their job that the safety of all U.S. politicians is under control. 



Photo Courtesy: [Greg Mathieson/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images]


Since the 9/11 attacks, there has been an increase in the number of people that are protecting the Pentagon, and the technology to protect has increased dramatically. There is not a single moment that you will see a politician without his security.  

Press Conference Room

The Press Conference Room is the place where members of the government announce news about what is going on in the country and around the world. Most of the time you will see the Press Secretary of the President speak and answer questions, there are also times the President, the Vice President, or the Secretary of Defense come out and announce the news to the public. 



Photo Courtesy: [Alex Wong/Getty Images News/Getty Images]


This is one of the main ways that the U.S. government interacts with its citizens. Almost every day there is some sort of news that is coming out of the Pentagon. 

Aerial View

This aerial image of the Pentagon was taken shortly before the most horrific event happened to the United States and the Pentagon. Since the Pentagon is the center of the U.S. Military, it has always been the main target for an attack if anyone would dare.



Photo Courtesy: [AFP/AFP/Getty Images]


The Pentagon was never really under the impression that the building would ever be attacked even though the nickname of the building is Ground Zero. The only threat that they thought would occur inside the Pentagon was espionage but an attack on the building was the last thing on their minds. 

9/11 Attack

On September 11, 2001, the Pentagon was attacked by terrorists who hijacked a passenger plane and crashed it into the Pentagon. The Pentagon wasn't the only building that was attacked, tragically the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center were hit as well. This was the first time in U.S. history that a terrorist attack was committed on such a large scale. 



Photo Courtesy: [Alex Wong/Getty Images News/Getty Images]


This was a sad day for anyone that was there to witness it, around 3,000 people lost their lives that day and all of them were just ordinary citizens. Weirdly the attacks happened exactly 60 years after the construction of the Pentagon. 

9/11 Flag 

The western side of the Pentagon was the location where the passenger plane crashed into the building. Luckily at the time, only 800 out of the 4,500 employees were working at the time which resulted in fewer deaths. There were a number of firefighters and rescue workers that went into the wrecked building to rescue any survivors. 



Photo Courtesy: [Smith Collection/Archive Photos/Getty Images]


On that same day after the events unfolded and the search for everyone was concluded, a big American flag was hung from the side of the Pentagon in memory of all the people that lost their lives that day. Every year the flag is hung from the same spot with respect for the people who were lost. 

George Bush 

George Bush was President of the United States at the time of the 9/11 attacks and he had to make a decision that changed the history of the United States. President Bush visited the Pentagon a couple of days after the attacks happened and congratulated the servicemen that risked their lives to put the fires out and search for anyone that was trapped inside the Pentagon. 



Photo Courtesy: [Greg Mathieson/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images]


This was a difficult time for the United States as they were just attacked and they were not sure why it exactly happened. This event really brought a lot of Americans together as nothing like this ever happened in the country. 

Restoration of Pentagon

In 2002, the Phoenix Project was started which was the restoration of the western side of the Pentagon. Since the Pentagon was attacked, the U.S. decided that it wanted to do a full restoration of the building. These restorations would continue until 2011 when they finished most of what they thought needed attention. 



Photo Courtesy: [Paul Richards/AFP/Getty Images]


Once the repairs were complete on the western side, there was a small indoor memorial that was built and a chapel. This project was completed quickly as the people doing it were proud to repair the damage that was brought upon the Pentagon. 

9/11 Memorial

The Pentagon Memorial was built in 2008 and was built to honor the names of the people who lost their lives in the building and flight that was part of the 9/11 attacks. The memorial was designed by Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman with the thought of the innocent people that lost their lives that day. 



Photo Courtesy: [Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images News/Getty Images]


This permanent memorial is beautiful and has 184 benches for the number of people who passed that day and each bench has the names of the fallen. This is an amazing memorial to visit if you ever find yourself in Washington DC.  

Ceremonies Conducted

The are several ceremonies that are conducted outside of the Pentagon as it is one of the most important buildings in the U.S. Government besides the White House. There have been a number of people that have sacrificed themselves for the American flag and what better way to honor them than to have a ceremony at one of the most sacred buildings in America. 



Photo Courtesy: [Ullstein Bild/Ullstein Bild/Getty Images]


The 9/11 attacks are remembered every year and there is a ceremony that happens as well, this is an important day for Americans as a lot of innocent people lost their lives for no reason. 

Most Powerful Building In the World

Ever since its construction, the Pentagon is still the most powerful building in the world, it has always been the heart of the U.S. Military. There have been a lot of things that have come out of the Pentagon that has saved Americans from certain danger and without it, the world would be a very different place. 



Photo Courtesy: [Greg Mathieson/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images]


The Pentagon will stand as long as the United States stands, Americans must thank President Roosevelt as he was one of the main heads that wanted to create a new War Department. 

The Pentagon Today

The Pentagon today has become more powerful than it ever thought it would become, the world's heaviest decisions are still being made here. This building will always be part of the United States and without it, the nation would probably not be here. The most important building in the world has a lot of history behind it and has really changed the way history has been told. 



Photo Courtesy: [Pool/Getty Images News/Getty Images]


It's hard to believe that the Pentagon was supposed to be a temporary building that was only to be used during World War II, now it has been more than 80 years since its construction and it is still standing today, stronger than ever.