Veterans Day is a legal and federal holiday in United States to honor the war veterans. This day is celebrated on November 11 in honor of the people who has served in the armed forces of the US.
The Origin Of Veterans Day
Veterans’ Day is observed on November 11, the same day as Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson first designated November 11 in 1919 as Armistice Day celebrating the anniversary of the signing the armistice in 1918 that ended World War I. On November 11, 1918 the Allied powers signed a cease-fire treaty with Germany at Rethondes, which marked the end of World War I.
The Congress passed legislation in 1938, which designated Armistice Day as a federal holiday.
How Armistice Day Became Veteran’s Day
In 1953, the citizens of Emporia, Kansas observed Veterans’ Day instead of Armistice Day. Subsequently a legislation to officially change the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Congressman Ed Rees of Emporia, Kansas. In 1954, the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans’ Day to honor the veterans who died in the war.
The official designation is “Veterans Day”, without an apostrophe but is frequently misprinted as Veteran’s Day or Veterans Day in ads or calendars.
Veterans Day is packed with stories of bravery and tragedies of the war.
How Veterans Day Is Observed
Special services take place at the tombs of known and unknown soldiers in the US to commemorate this special day. Parades are performed, prominent people address the mass, and people take flowers to the cemetery on Veterans Day.
With US, Great Britain and France also celebrated Veterans Day till World War II, which gave a jolt to world peace again. After World War II Veterans Day became the day to pay tribute to the veterans of both the wars. In 1954, after the Korean War, Veterans Day was officially designated to honor all the soldiers of US war.
Veterans Day is called Remembrance Day in Canada. In Great Britain the war veterans are honored on the nearest Sunday of November 11.
Veterans Day is the day to celebrate peace in the world.