Origin of Veterans Day
poster from 1984
Today is Veterans Day, an American holiday to honor our military veterans. How long has this tradition been taking place?
Veterans Day began in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 a day to celebrate World War I veterans. It didn’t become a legal holiday until 1938. Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day to remember the name of the treaty signed with the Germans to mark the unofficial end of World War I. The date’s significance? World War I hostilities ended on November 11 on the 11th hour in 1918.
The name was changed to Veterans Day back in the ’50s to reflect remembrance of military from all wars. The official date to celebrate our veterans has changed over the years (depending on the president), but it currently resides on its originally intended date of November 11.
So regardless of your political views, there should be no disagreement about the need to thank our veterans for their service. And when your grandpa calls it Armistice Day, there’s no need to correct him – you’re both right.
Read on:
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs – History of Veterans Day
Wikipedia – Armistice with Germany
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