Although Veterans Day has been set apart to honor United States military veterans for almost 100 years, the name and date of the holiday has gone through a myriad of changes.According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day Day was first celebrated in 1919, in celebration of the implementation of armistice in The Great War (which is now known as World War I). This temporary cessation of hostilities took place between the Allies and Germany at the 11th hour of the 11th day of November, 1918. Although the war did not officially end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed June 28, 1919, in France; Nov. 11 is generally regarded as the end of the war.To celebrate the anniversary of the end of The Great War hostilities, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day Nov. 11, 1919. He said, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the countryís 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.”The DVA stated the original concept for the celebration involved a day filled with parades, public meetings and a two-minute suspension at 11 a.m. for all businesses and government entities.Although it would go through several changes and wouldnít be an official holiday for many more years, the Day of Armistice was celebrated again in 1920. According to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, President Wilson, prompted by church groups, named the Sunday closest to Nov. 11 Armistice Day Sunday, a day that churches should hold services in the interest of international peace.In 1921, Congress passed legislation to establish the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, and chose Nov. 11 for the ceremony. On Oct. 20, Congress declared Nov. 11, 1921, a legal federal holiday to honor all those who participated in the war.However, according to the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMA), it wasnít until 1926 that Congress adopted a resolution for the observance of Armistice Day.In the 1920s and 1930s, Armistice Day became a legal holiday in most states, but not at the federal level. However, the U.S. president issued a proclamation each year on Nov. 11.Based on information from the CMA, on May 13, 1938, Congress passed legislation to make Nov. 11 a legal federal holiday called Armistice Day. The day had initially been set aside to honor veterans of World War I; but, since that time, World War II and the Korean War had produced many more veterans.In 1954, according to the U.S. Department of Public Affairs, Congress, at the urging of veteransí service organizations, amended the legislation of 1938 by replacing the word ìArmisticeî with the word ìVeterans.î Later that year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation: “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.”In 1968, the Uniform Holiday Bill was signed to give federal employees three-day weekends in celebration of four national holidays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day. The federal observance of Veterans Day would be observed the fourth Monday in October.ìIt was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production,î according to the DVA. ìMany states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.îTo many Americans, celebrating Veterans Day on Nov. 11 had a significant historic and patriotic meaning. On Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97, which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. ìThis action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.îThe DVA has reported that Memorial Day and Veterans Day are often confused. Memorial Day is observed on the fourth Monday in May, and honors American military members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veteransñliving or deceased; however, it has become a traditional day of thanks to living veterans who served their country during war or peacetime.This year, Veterans Day is on Friday, Nov. 11.
