Why Is Veterans Day Nov 11

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

How To Celebrate Veterans Past And Present

The history of Veterans Day is closely tied to our nations history and gives Americans an opportunity to honor those who have made sacrifices to protect us. This Veterans Day, give more than thanks to veterans by:

• Volunteering at a local veterans center

• Asking friends or family who served about their time in the military, then preserving those memories in a journal or digital file for future generations

• Laying flowers in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 9-10 as part of the Centennial Commemoration Public Flower Ceremony

• Watching a joint full honors procession and joint service flyover at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11 via livestream

• Donating to a military nonprofit like the USO to support the next generation of veterans

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Things You Don’t Know About Veterans Day

1. It’s “Veterans Day,” not “Veteran’s Day,” for a good reason.

The lack of the apostrophe might seem like a semantic choice, but it has a definite and deliberate meaning. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Day is not a day that belongs to veterans, it is a day for honoring veterans directly in front of us right now.

2. Veterans Day used to be celebrated on the fourth Monday of October.

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which stated that Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day would all be celebrated on Mondays. The reason for doing so was to create three-day weekends, which hopefully encouraged travel and other recreational activities that would help stimulate the economy.

However, many states did not agree with the change, particularly for Veterans Day, which holds significant historic and patriotic significance. And so on Sept. 20 1975, President Gerald Ford signed Public Law 9497, which returned the observance of Veterans Day to Nov. 11, beginning in 1978.

3. Armistice Day became Veterans Day in 1954.

4. Marines celebrate their service birthday and Veterans Day with a 96-hour liberty.

Nov. 10 marks the birthday, an event that is generally celebrated with a traditional ball and a cake-cutting ceremony. Since this special day falls the day before Veterans Day, many Marines celebrate both holidays together with a 96-hour liberty period.

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Anthem Veterans Memorial: A Unique Place To Visit On Veterans Day

The Anthem Veterans Memorialhas five pillars that represent the five branches of the United States Military. They are staggered in size. The military-seal placements on each pillar are based upon the Department of Defenses prescribed precedence.

The Anthem was built before the sixth branch of the military, the United States Space Force, was created.

The memorial is designed so that at precisely 11:11 a.m. on Veterans Day, the suns rays will pass through each of the five pillars elliptical openings to illuminate a glass-mosaic medallion of the Great Seal of the United States.

When Did Armistice Day Become Veterans Day

In 1954, after the return of service personnel from both World War II and the Korean War, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill rededicating Nov. 11 as Veterans Day, encouraging Americans to commit themselves to the cause of peace and to honor Americas veterans for their courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice.

The Memorial became a dynamic addition to Kansas Citysand the nation’scultural landscape, continuing to mark the Armistice and then Veterans Day after President Eisenhower rededicated the holiday. It has served as host to commemoration events ever since, including that for the Centennial of the Armistice on Nov. 11, 2018.

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What Is Veterans Day

Veterans Day became a holiday in America beginning in May of 1938.

Veterans Day is held on November 11 as this is the day that World War One ended with the signing of the armistice agreement.

The holiday, originally known as Armistice Day, was dedicated initially to world peace and World War I soldiers.

However, Congress was urged by veteran associations to drop the Armistice from its name and change it to veterans after World War II required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, airmen, and Marines.

The legislation became official on June 1, 1954, and November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

That year on October 8, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day proclamation which also designated a chairman of the Veterans Day Committee.

The proclamation said: “In order to ensure 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 Is Veterans Day 11/11

World War I was a massive military conflict in Europe between 191418. Joining France and Great Britain, the US fought on the Allied side against the German and AustriaHungary empires. The war, often noted for its military technology, such as tanks and mustard gas, led to a death toll the world had never seen before, estimated at over 15 million.

On November 11, 1918, the Allies and Germany signed an armistice meant to end fighting on the Western Front, a region that included Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, and other bordering countries. The signing took place in a railway carriage at a significant time and date: the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. You can see why the number 11 would be an important part of commemorating the end of the war.

The interest in the significance of numbers like 11/11 is a phenomenon of numerology, the notion that numbers hold some intrinsic value beyond their function as symbols of quantity. Curious to know more? Learn what the mystical alignment of 11:11 can mean.

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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.

Veterans Day Moment Of Silence

On Veterans Day, Americans observe a two-minute moment of silence beginning at 3:11 p.m. Atlantic standard time to honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout history.

People in different time zones can observe the moment of silence at these times:

• Eastern Standard Time: 2:11 p.m.
• Central Standard Time: 1:11
• Pacific Standard Time: 11:11 a.m.
• Alaska Standard Time: 10:11 a.m
• Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time: 9:11 a.m.

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History In Allied Countries

The first Armistice Day celebration was held at , commencing with King hosting a “Banquet in Honour of the President of the ” during the evening hours of 10 November 1919. The first official Armistice Day events were subsequently held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace on the morning of 11 November 1919, which included a as a mark of respect for those who died in the war and those left behind.

Similar ceremonies developed in other countries during the .In South Africa, for example, the had by the late 1920s developed a ceremony whereby the toast of “Fallen Comrades” was observed not only in silence but darkness, all except for the “Light of Remembrance”, with the ceremony ending with the Order’s anthem “Old Soldiers Never Die”.

In Britain, beginning in 1939, the two-minute silence was moved to the Sunday nearest to 11 November in order not to interfere with wartime production should 11 November fall on a weekday. This became .

After the end of , most member states of the , followed the earlier example of Canada and adopted the name .

Other countries also changed the name of the holiday just prior to or after World War II, to honour veterans of that and subsequent conflicts. The United States chose , later shortened to ‘Veterans Day’, to explicitly honour military veterans, including those participating in other conflicts.

Why Is It Important To Celebrate Veterans Day

The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor Americas veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the

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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.

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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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.

The Why: Veterans Day On Nov 11

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans.

But many Americans don’t know why we commemorate our veterans on Nov. 11.

It all started with World War 1.

In 1918, an armstice was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the Great War on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The Great War would later be known as World War 1.

The war actually didn’t officially end until June 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed, but November 11th remained as the date that marked the end of the conflict, according to the public.

In November 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first observance of Armistice Day.

Fast forward to the mid-20th century.

After 16 million Americans served in World War II and 5.7 million more served in the Korean War, veterans service organizations lobbied to strike the word armistice in favor of veterans.

Then in 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation to call Nov. 11 Veterans Day.

And from then on, we have been honoring American veterans. Not only from World War 1, but of all wars past and future.

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Celebration Of Veterans Day In Other Countries

Depending on which country youre in, the holiday may be called differently, as several countries were involved in what is considered one of the worlds greatest wars. In Belgium, France, Martinique, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe and French Guiana, it is called Armistice Day. Its called Remembrance Day in Canada, United Kingdom , Isle of Man and Cayman Islands. The United States and Puerto Rico call it Veterans Day.

As different as the way they call the holiday are the commemorative celebrations they observe to mark Veterans Day.

How Veterans Day Became A Celebration Of All Service Members

In 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day when service members who had fought in World War II and in the Korean War urged Congress to recognize the American veterans of all wars. President Dwight Eisenhower issued the Veterans Day Proclamation several months later to create a Veterans Day National Committee, which ensures even to this day that veterans are properly recognized each year.

Another 12 years passed before Veterans Day was once again changed. The Uniform Holiday Bill moved all four national federal holidays to Mondays so federal employees could enjoy three-day weekends.

A World War II veteran holds a sign and waves to the crowd during the Veterans Day Parade in New York City in 2016. Veterans and active-duty service members participated in the parade, honoring the service of American veterans.

Even so, many states continued to celebrate Veterans Day on November 11, given the significance of that date. It wasnt until 1975 that President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11 after receiving pressure from state legislatures, veterans service organizations and Americans.

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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.