What Veteran's Day means

For many people Veteran's Day is a holiday that people will say, "It's when we take a day to celebrate those who have served and continue to serve our country."But beyond this basic definition many people don't know the history the national holiday.


The idea of Veteran's Day came from the end of World War I when president Woodrow Wilson decided that the U.S. would observe Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, when on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month troops temporarily ceased combat. This date is the official end of the war even though the war ended June 28, 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles.

But "Armistice Day" was only set aside to honor those who had fought in World War I.
At the end of World War II in 1954 president Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veteran's Day Proclamation saying, "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."
This proclamation made this holiday an observance for all those who have ever served in the military.Many people observe this holiday in different ways. Many people visit memorials and military cemeteries across the country. Others attend parades where veterans show up in dress uniform and others will plant flags or flowers or tie a bow around a tree and hang a flag in front of their house. What ever it is that someone does in honor of this holiday, it holds a patriotic in peoples' hearts.


President Wilson 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 country’s 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…"