"World Unity or Oblivion" by Berthold Nebel

World Unity or Oblivion 1945
by Berthold Nebel
SOM-32.1
Golden bronze with tan patina

This medal was chosen as the 32nd issue of the prestigious Society of Medalists series.

The medal's obverse bears an American soldier giving water to a wounded comrade. In exergue, (circled BN) / ©. The reverse bears a mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion over avast plane of corpses. To left and right, WORLD UNITY - OR OBLIVION.

In his "Message from the Artist" Nebel wrote:

"Modern warfare has developed to such a degree that civilization may vanish from the earth unless there is to be an understanding among nations, and this medal was designed to help impress that thought which, I believe, is uppermost in our minds."

It is fascinating to see this medal in the context of its predecessor (For Conquer We Must). The prior medal is soul-stirring and up-lifting in its depiction of courageous soldiers at one of the iconic moments of war. Only half a year later, the war has been won, and soldiers are depicted wounded or dead. The price of victory and the question of "What now?" has arrived very prominently.

The medal measures 73mm in diameter. The Medallic Art Company of New York reportedly struck 839 medals in bronze and 60 (out of 700 authorized) in silver.

SOM-32.1
Bronze
73.0mm (2.87in)
Golden bronze with tan patina
THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS 32ND ISSUE 1945-BERTHOLD NEBEL, SCULPTOR
MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y. BRONZE
SOM-32.2
Bronze
73.0mm (2.87in)
Smooth golden "polished" bronze
THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS 32ND ISSUE 1945-BERTHOLD NEBEL, SCULPTOR
MEDALLIC ART CO.N.Y. BRONZE
SOM-32.3
Silver
73.0mm (2.87in)
THE SOCIETY OF MEDALISTS 32ND ISSUE 1945-BERTHOLD NEBEL, SCULPTOR