Veterans day is on Sunday Nov. 11 and commemorates veterans around the country. The history of Veterans day comes from World War I. The Department of Veteran Affairs reported that World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which was on June 28, 1919. Seven months prior, fighting had stopped however when an "armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month." That is why Veterans day on November 11, 1918 was regarded as the end of World War I and why Veterans day is celebrated on that day.
The Department of Veteran Affairs quoted President Wilson saying on November 11 as the first Veteran's Day in 1919, "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..."
An Act that was approved on May 13, 1938 made the day a legal holiday. It was originally known as armistice day and set aside to honor veterans. It was originally created to honor World War I veterans but after Word War II "had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation's history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word Veterans," said the The Department of Veteran Affairs on its website.
Today the day is honored with parades around the country and public speeches and it is a holiday where many individuals get the day off work.
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