WW I came to a grinding halt with the declaration of an armistice (a cease fire) at the 11th hour of the 11th day of November, the 11th month of 1918. Then followed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. That same year, President Wilson declared November 11th to be Armistice Day with this proclamation: "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…"
In 1921, Congress established the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery and planned the dedication for November 11, 1921. It was at this time that Congress also declared November 11, 1921 to be a legal Federal holiday.
Although the sitting President continued to issue annual proclamations making November 11 a Federal holiday, it wasn’t until 1938 that Congress passed legislation making the day a legal Federal holiday (many states adopted the day as a legal holiday along the way). The day of recognition was still called Armistice Day.
WW II and the Korean War added millions of war veterans to those vets of the First World War already being honored by Armistice Day. In a move to incorporate these men and women—and any future veterans—President Eisenhower signed legislation on June 1, 1954 changing the name from Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day.
In a New Coke kind of move, Congress passed the Monday Holiday Law in 1968 that established the fourth Monday in October as the new date for the observance of Veteran’s Day. This was to begin in 1971. Initially all the states (except Mississippi and South Dakota) followed the new schedule, but within the next four years, most states (46 in all) chose to move their observances back to November 11. (New Jersey followed the Federal date and held its observations on the fourth Monday of October from 1971 through 1978.)
In 1975 Congress, due to popular support/pressure, passed legislation returning the Federal observance of Veteran’s Day back to November 11 effective in 1978 where it has remained.
The men and women who have served and are serving in our nation’s military deserve our respect and thanks. Through their sacrifices we have enjoyed the best life style to be found on the planet.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
(As an aside: You can’t possibly support the troops and not support their mission. They are one and the same. Ying and yang.)
Links:
Virginia’s Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Army Center of Military History
The History of Veterans Day by Steve Paul Johnson
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