Why Do We Commemorate Veterans Day?

My VIPs for this week are the men and women of the Armed Forces for which we commemorate Veterans Day this Tuesday. Veterans Day has been celebrated “since 1919, when then-President Woodrow Wilson commemorated the first anniversary of the World War I armistice,” according to Rin Velasco, Max Hauptman, and Emily DeLetter at USA Today. 

“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,” Wilson said at the time.

We commemorate Veterans Day on November 11 because the armistice was signed on November 11 at the 11^th hour. Its original title was Armistice Day and meant to honor Veterans of World War I. However, American fought World War II and the Korean War, so the name was changed to Veterans Day in in 1954 after Veterans’ service group urged the name change. Veterans Day is a federal holiday to honor all men and women who have served in the armed forces “for their love of the United States, their loyalty to the American people and their willingness to fight and die for the public good.”

Veterans Day is different from Memorial Day for several reasons. First, they come in different months with Memorial Day the last Monday of May each year and Veterans Day on November 11 each year. Memorial Day “is meant to honor all who served and gave their lives for their country.” Veterans Day “honors all veterans, both living and dead, who served in times of war and peace.”