With Veterans Day nearly upon us, it may be worth examining the meaning behind this holiday and how it came to be.
The U.S. military continues to hold a positive place in the minds of American citizens, with recent Pew Research data showing a 60 percent level of confidence in the military. Amongst veterans themselves, 68 percent report being proud of their military service. With that in mind, it makes sense to take a look back at why America has a specific holiday to honor veterans.
Veterans Day actually started off as Armistice Day. While the Treaty of Versailles wasn't signed until June 28, 1919, officially ending the "Great War," the fighting in World War I ended on Nov. 11, 1918, when an armistice or temporary halting of hostilities was declared.
In Nov. 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared that November 11 would be known as Armistice Day, a day in which business would be temporarily suspended and veterans would be honored with parades and events.
In 1947 the first celebration using the term "Veterans Day" took place in Birmingham, Alabama, where World War II veteran Raymond Weeks organized a parade to honor veterans under the banner of "National Veterans Day."
In 1954 Armistice Day was amended and renamed to Veterans Day. The reason for this was because of new groups of veterans entering American society who had served in World War II and Korea. Armistice Day would no longer just honor World War I veterans, but all of them.
In 1968, the Uniform Holiday Bill was passed ensuring that Veterans Day was honored with a three-day weekend. In the 1970s, the federal government attempted to change the date of Veterans Day to a date in October, but this led to confusion and the November 11 date held a historical significance to many Americans that the new date did not, and so the decision was reversed.
Today, a National Veterans Day ceremony takes place at Arlington, Virginia on November 11 at Arlington National Cemetery.
"The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by Veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces," The Department of Veteran's Affairs website explains.