Veterans Day, observed Wednesday, traces its origins to the armistice that ended World War I hostilities at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in 1919, and Congress passed a resolution in 1926 encouraging observance with thanksgiving, prayer, and exercises promoting peace. In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, Congress renamed the holiday Veterans Day to honor all American veterans, distinguishing it from Memorial Day, which commemorates those who died in service.
Since World War II, millions of Americans have served in conflicts including the Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, and the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan have used the occasion to emphasize that veterans sacrificed for a specific purpose. Eisenhower urged the nation to "solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air and on foreign shores" to "preserve our heritage of freedom."
Jimmy Carter later praised the "quiet courage by ordinary people whose reward is that their nation and their freedoms remain secure for future generations," while Reagan spoke of the fallen having "the certainty that what they died for was worthy of their sacrifice." Joecks writes that the holiday's significance rests not only on the valor of those who served but on the "noble country and ideals they fought to preserve," contrasting that view with critics who he says imply veterans served in vain.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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