Why Do We Honor Veterans
Veterans Day honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace dead or alive although its largely intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices. It was originally called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. This ceremony changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
When Is Veterans Day
Veterans Day is always observed on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. This year, it will be marked on Sunday — which also marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Though the Veterans Day National Ceremony, like many ceremonies around the nation, is held on Veterans Day itself, many communities may hold Veterans Day parades or other celebrations on surrounding days.
Memorial Day Has Its Roots In The Civil War
In contrast, Memorial Day specifically honors those who have died in U.S. military service. It was originally created to honor soldiers who fought in the Civil War, but like Veterans Day, was also later expanded to include those who died in all wars.
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, history professor Matthew Dennis told NPR in 2005, and was celebrated on May 30. It was the day when people decorated the graves of soldiers who died in the Civil War both those who fought for the Union and for the Confederacy.
The annual tradition of decorating fallen soldiers graves with flags and flowers is believed to have originated in Waterloo, N.Y. That tradition is still carried on today all over the country.
Almost a century later in 1971, Congress switched the official holiday to the last Monday in May, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Do You Get More Social Security If You Are A Veteran
Generally, there is no reduction of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement benefits. You’ll get your Social Security benefit based on your earnings and age you choose to start receiving benefits. While you’re in military service, you pay Social Security taxes, just as civilian employees do.
Its A Chance To Reflect On The Importance Of Peace
While our military is often thought of in a war context, most veterans will tell you that they risked their lives to defend our fundamental freedoms and that they value peace much more highly than war. Very few who have seen the real horror of war are anxious to rush into it, and Veterans Day encourages all of us to reflect on the value of harmony in our daily interactions and lives.
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What Did Germany Agree To Do Under The Armistice
The Germans agreed to pull their troops out of France, Belgium and Luxembourg within 15 days, or risk becoming prisoners of the Allies. They had to turn over their arsenal, including 5,000 artillery pieces, 25,000 machine guns and 1,700 airplanes, along with 5,000 railroad locomotives, 5,000 trucks and 150,000 wagons.
Is Veterans Day Celebrated In Other Countries
Yes, several English-speaking countries observe Nov. 11 as a day honoring the military, but it is not usually known by that name. For example, Canada and Australia observe “Remembrance Day” on Nov. 11 while the United Kingdom observes “Remembrance Sunday” on the Sunday nearest to Nov. 11. However, in these countries, Remembrance Day is very much like America’s Memorial Day, a day to honor the nation’s war dead, as well as honoring all who served in the military.
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Who Changed The Armistice Day To Veterans Day Campaign
In 1945 a man named Raymond Weeks started a campaign to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day because he felt all veterans should be honored not just those who died at war. 11 1919 the first Armistice Day in the US and the name was changed to Veterans Day on June 1 1954 to honor veterans of all wars.
How Americans Fought To Restore Veterans Day To November 11
It has been an American tradition to honor our military on the traditional time of 11:11 a.m. on November 11. But there was a time when Congress tried to move the holiday, only to face several years of strong public resistance.
The holiday was first called Armistice Day. It was established after World War I to remember the war to end all wars, and it was pegged to the time that a cease-fire, or armistice, occurred in Europe on November 11, 1918.
A year later, President Woodrow Wilson said the armistice anniversary deserved recognition.
To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the countrys service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations, he said.
Armistice Day officially received its name through a congressional resolution that was passed on June 4, 1926. By that time, 27 states had made Armistice Day a legal holiday.
Then, in 1938, Armistice Day officially became a national holiday by law, when an act was passed on May 13, 1938, making November 11 in each year a legal holiday: a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day.
Scott Bomboy is the editor in chief of the National Constitution Center
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Veterans Day Around The World
Veterans Day is one of many days remembering the sacrifices of those who fought in a war to protect their country. Here are some other ones from across the globe
| Country | ||
|---|---|---|
| Australia and New Zealand | ANZAC Day | |
| United Kingdom and Commonwealth Nations | Remembrance Day | Observed by Canadians and other members of the Commonwealth since the end of the First World War in order to remember all those who fought and died in the line of duty. |
| South Korea | Memorial Day | South Koreans honor servicemen and civilians who have died for their country, the same month that the Korean War began. |
| Turkey | The anniversary of a major victory against the Allied Powers during the Gallipoli Campaign, commemorating Turks who have died for the country. |
Why Did They Change Armistice Day To Veterans Day
While WWI was called “the war to end all wars,” it failed to do just that. By the early 1950s, millions of Americans had served in WWII in the Korean War. So, in an attempt to be more inclusive and honor this younger generation of veterans service, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day June 1, 1954.
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Spelling Of Veterans Day
While the holiday is commonly printed as Veteran’s Day or Veterans’ Day in calendars and advertisements, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs website states that the attributive rather than the possessive case is the official spelling “because it is not a day that ‘belongs’ to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.”
How Veterans Day Emerged From World War I
On November 11, 1918, an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations effectively ended the Great War after millions of casualties. It signaled the first time in more than four years that guns and cannons on the Western Front fell quiet. The war officially ended less than a year later when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919.
Crowds in New York City eagerly await a parade of the famous 369th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters, returning as heroes just a few months after the armistice of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.
On the first anniversary of the armistice, President Woodrow Wilson declared that November 11 would be celebrated as Armistice Day with parades, public meetings and a two-minute pause of business at 11:00 a.m.
President Gerald R. Ford and Major General Frederic Davison salute the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a Veterans Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in 1974.|Photo credit National Archives and Records Administration
A year later, the United States followed suit by burying four unidentified U.S. military personnel in Arlington National Cemeterys Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to represent those who gave their lives during the war.
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The Evolution Of Veterans Day
Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word Armistice and inserting in its place the word Veterans. With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation which stated:
In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.
Why Do We Use Poppies For Veterans
The red poppy is a nationally recognized symbol of sacrifice worn by Americans since World War I to honor those who served and died for our country in all wars. It reminds Americans of the sacrifices made by our veterans while protecting our freedoms. Wear a poppy to honor those who have worn our nations uniform.
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Celebrating The Veterans Day Holiday
If the Nov. 11 holiday falls on a non-workday — Saturday or Sunday — the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday or Friday . Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. State and local government closings are determined locally, and non-government businesses can close or remain open as they see fit, regardless of federal, state or local government operation determinations.
United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on Aug. 4, 2001, designated the week of Nov. 11 through Nov. 17, 2001, as “National Veterans Awareness Week.” The resolution calls for educational efforts directed at elementary and secondary school students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.
What Do You Say On Armistice Day
“All we have of freedom, all we use or know – / This our fathers bought for us long and long ago.” “When you go home, tell them of us and say, for their tomorrow we gave our today.” “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” “You remember only what you want to remember.
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Are You A Veteran If You Never Deployed
1, 1947, are considered veterans of the United States. … People who just serve in the National Guard and Reserve without a federal deployment are usually not eligible for veterans benefits, unless they were injured during their basic or advanced training or while on weekend drill or the two-week summer training.
Armistice Day Becomes Veterans Day
Interestingly, it was a Kansas shoe shop owner who turned Armistice Day into Veterans Day. In the year 1953, Al King suggested that Armistice Day should be replaced by All Veterans Day. He approached the Emporia Chamber of Commerce to seek support for his cause. Most Emporia merchants campaigned for this change, and they were joined by members of the Board of Education.
Eventually, a bill was put forward to the Congress by US Representative Ed Rees, who also happened to be a member of Emporia. In May of 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower made the bill into a law, and in November of the same year, Armistice Day was officially replaced by Veterans Day. From 1971 to 1978, Veterans Day was rescheduled to be celebrated on the fourth Monday of every October, but it was reverted to its original date of celebration, which is the 11th of November, in the year 1978.
Interested in learning more about how Veterans Day has evolved over the years? Learn more about the history of Veterans Day here.
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The First Armistice Day
The holidays beginnings can be traced to the late days of 1918, when a weary world began to look toward the end of what was commonly called the Great War. Over four long years, World War I had obliterated European landscapes, ushered in the use of deadly new technologies such as poison gas, and entangled more than 30 nations. Revolutions had upended the governments of many of the combatant countries, and an influenza pandemic was sweeping the world.
After a long stalemate, the United States entered the war, and the Allied forces launched an offensive that would prove decisive. The Allies terms were tough, but Germany was in no position to argue. Finally, on November 11 at 11:00 a.m. Paris time, an armistice came into effect.
World War I was over, but the world reeled from its losses. A total of about 10 million men were killed in action, and another 20 million were wounded worldwide. The U.S. had only joined the conflict in 1917, but it alone had lost over 116,000 lives and seen about 320,000 other casualties. Those losses were bitterly felt, especially among those whose loved ones had been buried in over 2,300 temporary cemeteries on European soil.
President Woodrow Wilson issued a message in commemoration of the anniversary. To us in America, he wrote, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the countrys service, and with gratitude for the victory.
From Armistice Day To Veterans Day
American effort during World War II saw the greatest mobilization of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force in the nations history some 5.7 million more served in the Korean War.
In 1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans service organizations, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word Armistice in favor of Veterans. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
The next development in the story of Veterans Day unfolded in 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal employeesand encourage tourism and travelby celebrating four national holidays on Mondays.
The observation of Veterans Day was set as the fourth Monday in October. The first Veterans Day under the new law was Monday, October 25, 1971 confusion ensued, as many states disapproved of this change, and continued to observe the holiday on its original date.
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Why Did The Armistice Happen
By the end of 1917, the Bolsheviks had seized power in Russia and immediately set about negotiating peace with Germany. In 1918, the infusion of American troops and resources into the western front finally tipped the scale in the Allies’ favor. Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies on November 11, 1918.
The Uniform Monday Holiday Act
In 1968, Congress passed a law that moved four federal holidays, including Veterans Day, to Monday, bowing to pressure from a coalition of travel and tourism groups that argued more three-day weekends would stimulate the economy. In a statement upon signing the bill, President Lyndon B. Johnson said the law would help Americans enjoy more fully the country that is their magnificent heritage, visit their families, and travel farther.
The move enraged veterans groups. We look at this as a legislative distortion of history, American Legion commander William C. Doyle told the Associated Press, anaccommodation to our economic systemthe almighty dollar, if you willat the expense of historical fact.
When the change went into effect in 1971, pressure mounted and most states changed their observances of the holiday back to November 11. In the face of growing confusion, in 1975 Congress held hearings on whether it should change the federal holiday back.
Legislators weighed everything from weather to the number of times November 11 would fall on a Monday, and heard testimony on both sides of the issue. The emotion and feeling in the hearts of our World War I veterans and citizens of that era who recall the impact of the ceasefire on the 11th month, the 11th day, and the 11th hour in 1918 should serve as the cornerstone as this generation attempts to build a permanent framework for peace throughout the world, said Kansas Representative Keith G. Sebelius.
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Why Is Veterans Day On November 11 What You Should Know About The Federal Holiday
The origins of the holiday can be traced back to World War I, according to AccuWeather.
Instead of falling on a Sunday or Monday, Veterans Day is consistently recognized on the 11th of November.
Why the 11th?
This particular date recognizes the Armistice of 11 November 1918, the formal agreement that marked the official end of World War I.
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, allied forces and Germany came together to sign the peace treaty, according to AccuWeather.
For years, Americans called Nov. 11 Armistice Day until it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
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Veterans Day is one of 10 of the United States’ federal holidays, meaning nonessential government offices, like the post office, are closed. While banks are not required to close on federal holidays, most branches will likely give staff the day off.
While Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day all celebrate members of the U.S. military, each holiday has its differences.
Veterans Day gives the country an opportunity to thank those who have previously served in the U.S. military, and Memorial Day honors military members who died in service.
Armed Forces Day, celebrated in May, recognizes those currently serving in the U.S. military.