Because heritage monuments are the most prized possessions of a country, they naturally become most vulnerable to destruction during wars. Safeguarding becomes one of the primary concerns of a government when the country is plunged into war. The Taj Mahal is India’s most prized monument — and the 7th wonder of the world — so its people went to great length to protect it during World War II. In 1942, the military placed bamboo scaffolding over the Taj Mahal to protect it from German Luftwaffe bombers. The scaffolding — layers upon layers of bamboo — made the Taj Mahal look like nothing but a bamboo stockpile from inside bombers flying miles above. Without today’s GPS or satellite imagery, pilots had to rely on mere eyesight. Similarly, the Taj Mahal was covered with cloth after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center as a precautionary measure by the Archeological Survey of India.
