|
The Origins of Veteran's Day
Veteran's Day is observed annually in the United States and its territories on November 11. It wasn't always known as Veteran's Day or even observed on this date. Read on to learn more about the history of this holiday.
Veteran's Day (as it's called in the United States) originally began in
England and France. On November 11, 1920 to commemorate the ending of World War I (11 am on November 11, 1918 or the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month), England and France each held ceremonies where they buried an unknown soldier of the war in a high place of honor, Westminster Abbey in England and the Arc de Triomphe in France. This day became known as Armistice Day,
"armistice" meaning "truce."
The United States soon followed the examples of England and France. An unknown American World War I soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in 1921. It wasn't until 1926, though, that November 11 was officially known as Armistice Day in the United States. Even then, it still wasn't a holiday. A congressional action twelve years later in 1938 then made Armistice Day an official national holiday.
In only a few years, the United States would enter World War II. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part in this war. Armistice Day did not pay tribute to these people, so President Eisenhower changed Armistice Day to Veteran's Day in 1954 to honor all Americans who had served in all wars.
Only the United States and its territories have changed Armistice Day to Veteran's Day. Armistice Day is still observed in Belgium, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, and St. Maarten. November 11 is also called Remembrance Day in Australia, Canada, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, French Guiana, and St. Lucia.
In 1968 a law in the U.S. was passed that moved Veteran's Day to the fourth Monday in October. In ten years, though, Congress returned Veteran's Day to its traditional date of November 11 because this was the date of historic significance.
Meanwhile, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier continued to grow. In 1958 on Memorial Day, two more unidentified American soldiers were interred in the plaza beside the unknown World War I soldier. One of them was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from the Vietnam War was also placed in the Tomb of the Unknowns. His remains were exhumed, though, in 1998, based on DNA identification, and the crypt remains empty. These men are symbolic of all the Americans who gave their lives in all wars, and an Army honor guard (the Third U.S. Infantry or The Old Guard) keeps a constant vigil to honor them.
The memorial amphitheater that was built around the Tomb of the Unknowns continues to be the focal point for official ceremonies for Veteran's Day. A combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb at 11 a.m. on November 11 every year. A presidential wreath is also laid out as the nation's tribute to its war dead, and a bugler plays "Taps."
|
