L'Ecole Polytechnique Monument

Coordinates: 41°23′28.12″N 73°57′25.89″W / 41.3911444°N 73.9571917°W / 41.3911444; -73.9571917
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L'Ecole Polytechnique Monument
United States Military Academy
L'Ecole Polytechnique Monument, Central Area, West Point
Used for those deceased
Unveiled1919
Location41°23′28.12″N 73°57′25.89″W / 41.3911444°N 73.9571917°W / 41.3911444; -73.9571917
near 
CommemoratedFrench Cadets who died in defense of France and brotherhood in arms with the cadets of West Point
Burials by nation

L'Ecole Polytechnique Monument is a statue and monument located at the United States Military Academy in West point, New York. It is a replica of a statue at École Polytechnique that commemorates the cadets of that French school who died in defense of France in 1814. In 1919, in the wake of Franco-American cooperation in the First World War, an association of alumni of the École Polytechnique presented a full-size casting of the statue to West Point as a symbol of brotherhood between the two nations and schools.[1]

First year cadets (plebes) are required to know the four "mistakes on the French Monument": the curved saber but straight scabbard; the flag blowing one direction, the coat tails the other; button unbuttoned, and the cannonballs too large for bore of the cannon.[2] The monument was once located on the edge of the Plain, but has now been moved inside the cadet Central Area and is off limits to non-academy personnel.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Tour of West Point (Slide 9 of 14)". USMA.edu. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  2. ^ Hulse, Glenn (1994). Bugle Notes 1994. State College, PA: Jostens Publishing. pp. 171, 254–255.