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Why Americans Observe VeteransDay

Dave Rocker: Why Americans Observe Veterans Day

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WhyAmericans

ObserveVeteransDay

B Y D A V E R O C K E R

Each year, we celebrate the brave men &women who protect our freedoms in the U.S.

But, How did Veterans Day cometo be?

Why do Americans observeVeterans Day on November 11th?

Why do Americans confuseMemorial Day and Veterans

Day?

The confusion surrounding

Veterans Day stems from the

way the meaning of

Veterans Day has evolved

since the holiday was first

observed in 1919. At that

time, President Woodrow

Wilson declared November

11th as the day and date on

which Americans would

commemorate the end of

World War I.

It wasn’t until 1938 that Congressapproved a bill to formalize

November 11 as a federal holiday.Back then, the day was called

“Armistice Day.”

Although the legislationspecified Armistice Day was

intended to honor the cause ofworld peace,

Americans–perhaps due to theWorld War I-centric origins of

Armistice Day–continued toassociate the holiday with

World War I veterans.

In light of World War II and theKorean War, as well as other

violent conflicts which ensuedin the decades that followed,

commemorating “world peace”to Americans felt more and

more out of place.

In 1954, Congress changed the“Armistice” title from the

holiday’s original legislationand replaced the word with

“Veterans”; PresidentEisenhower issued the first

Veterans Day proclamation thatsame year.

"Memorial Day would honorAmericans who died in war,

President Eisenhower stated.Veterans Day would honor all

who served and fought inAmerican wars.."

Although most U.S. federalholidays are celebrated onMonday (for purposes of

creating a long weekend forfederal employees), Veterans

Day is still observed onNovember 11th in order to

preserve the historicalsignificance of the date.

For more info,visit

DaveRocker.org

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