Veterans Day
 Info: en.wikipedia.org.
Veterans Day is an American holiday for honoring war veterans. It is
celebrated on the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other
parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing
of the armistice that ended World War I. It is both a federal holiday
and a state holiday in all states. All major hostilities of World War
I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month
of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. Armistice Day was
first commemorated in the United States by President Woodrow Wilson
in 1919, and many states made it a legal holiday. Congress passed a
resolution in 1926 inviting all Americans to observe the day and made
it a legal holiday nationwide in 1938.
The holiday has been observed annually on November 11 since that date
- first as Armistice Day, later as Veterans Day. When holidays in the
United States, with the exception of New Year's Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving,
and Independence Day were moved to Mondays to create long holiday weekends,
the celebration was moved to the fourth Monday of October. However,
after protests by veterans groups it was moved back to November 11th
in an effort to make the holiday more important. Unfortunately for those
groups, the result was the opposite. Even though it is a federal and
state holiday, it is formally observed in most parts of the United States
only by government offices and banks. Most schools and almost all businesses
stay open on regular schedules. As a result, most public transit systems
are on regular schedules. Most businesses cite the holiday's proximity
to Thanksgiving (when many businesses close for a four-day weekend)
as the main reason for staying open on Veterans Day; but most schools
and businesses also stay open on Columbus Day, a full month earlier.
On November 11, 1953, the citizens of Emporia, Kansas staged a Veterans
Day observance in lieu of an Armistice Day remembrance. Congressman
Ed Rees of Emporia, Kansas subsequently introduced legislation in the
United States House of Representatives to officially change the name
of Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Following a letter-writing campaign
to secure the support of all state governors in the observance of this
new holiday, the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day (enacted
June 1, 1954), to honor those who served.
The day has since evolved as a time for honoring living veterans who
have served in the military during wartime or peacetime, partially to
complement Memorial Day, which primarily honors the dead. There has
been some discussion of whether a person's veteran status depends upon
his/her retirement or discharge from any of the armed forces. However,
the term applies to any that have honorably served their country or
that have served in a war zone as directed by their superior officers
or as directed by lawful orders given by their country.
History of Veterans Day
The Origins of Veterans Day
Info: en.wikipedia.org
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