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World War I – known at
the time as “The Great War” -
officially ended when the
Treaty of Versailles was
signed on June 28, 1919, in
the Palace of Versailles out-
side the town of Versailles,
France. However, fighting
ceased seven months earlier
when an armistice, or tempo-
rary cessation of hostilities,
between the Allied nations
and Germany went into
effect on the eleventh hour
of the eleventh day of the
eleventh month. For that rea-
son, November 11, 1918, is
generally regarded as the
end of “the war to end all
wars.”
In November 1919,
President Wilson proclaimed
November 11 as the first
commemoration of Armistice
Day with the following
words: "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 sympa-
thy with peace and justice in
the councils of the
nations…"
The original concept for
the celebration was for a day
observed with parades and
public meetings and a brief
suspension of business
beginning at 11 a.m.
The United States
Congress officially recog-
nized the end of World War I
when it passed a concurrent
resolution on June 4, 1926,
with these words:
Whereas the 11th of
November 1918, marked the
cessation of the most destruc-
tive, sanguinary, and far
reaching war in human
annals and the resumption by
the people of the United States
of peaceful relations with
other nations, which we hope
may never again be severed,
and
Whereas it is fitting that the
recurring anniversary of this
date should be commemorat-
ed with thanksgiving and
prayer and exercises designed
to perpetuate peace through
good will and mutual under-
standing between nations;
and
Whereas the legislatures of
twenty-seven of our States
have already declared
November 11 to be a legal hol-
iday: Therefore be it Resolved
by the Senate (the House of
Representatives concurring),
that the President of the
United States is requested to
issue a proclamation calling
upon the officials to display
the flag of the United States
on all Government buildings
on November 11 and inviting
the people of the United States
to observe the day in schools
and churches, or other suitable
places, with appropriate cere-
monies of friendly relations
with all other peoples.
An Act
(52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S.
Code, Sec. 87a) approved
May 13, 1938, made the 11th
of November in each year a
legal holiday — a day to be
dedicated to the cause of
world peace and to be there-
after celebrated and known
as "Armistice Day." Armistice
Day was primarily a day set
aside to honor veterans of
World War I, but in 1954, after
World War II had required the
greatest mobilization of sol-
diers, sailors, Marines and air-
men in the Nation’s history;
after American forces had
fought aggression in Korea,
the 83rd Congress, at the
urging of the veterans serv-
ice organizations, amended
the Act of 1938 by striking
out the word "Armistice" and
inserting in its place the
word "Veterans." With the
approval of this legislation
(Public Law 380) on June 1,
1954, Nov. 11 became a day
to honor American veterans
of all wars.
Later that same year, on
Oct. 8, President Dwight D.
Eisenhower issued the first
"Veterans Day Proclamation"
which stated:
"In order to
insure proper and widespread
observance of this anniver-
sary, all veterans, all veterans'
organizations, and the entire
citizenry will wish to join
hands in the common pur-
pose. Toward this end, I am
designating the Administrator
of Veterans' Affairs as
Chairman of a Veterans Day
National Committee, which
shall include such other per-
sons as the Chairman may
select, and which will coordi-
nate at the national level nec-
essary planning for the obser-
vance. I am also requesting the
heads of all departments and
agencies of the Executive
branch of the Government to
assist the National Committee
in every way possible."
President Eisenhower
signing HR7786, changing
Armistice Day to Veterans
Day.
On that same day,
President Eisenhower sent a
letter to the Honorable
Harvey V. Higley,
Administrator of Veterans'
Affairs (VA), designating him
as Chairman of the Veterans
Day National Committee.
In 1958, the White House
advised VA's General Counsel
that the 1954 designation of
the VA Administrator as
Chairman of the Veterans
Day National Committee
applied to all subsequent VA
Administrators. Since March
1989 when VA was elevated
to a cabinet level depart-
ment, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs has served as
the committee's chairman.
The Uniform Holiday Bill
(Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat.
250)) was signed on June 28,
1968, and was intended to
ensure three-day weekends
for Federal employees by cel-
ebrating four national holi-
days on Mondays:
Washington's Birthday,
Memorial Day, Veterans Day,
and Columbus Day. It was
thought that these extended
weekends would encourage
travel, recreational and cul-
tural activities and stimulate
greater industrial and com-
mercial production. Many
states did not agree with this
decision and continued to
celebrate the holidays on
their original dates.
The first Veterans Day
under the new law was
observed with much confu-
sion on Oct. 25, 1971. It was
quite apparent that the com-
memoration of this day was
a matter of historic and patri-
otic significance to a great
number of citizens, and so on
Sept. 20, 1975, President
Gerald R. Ford signed Public
Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479),
which returned the annual
observance of Veterans Day
to its original date of Nov. 11,
beginning in 1978. This
action supported the desires
of the overwhelming majori-
ty of state legislatures, all
major veterans service
organizations and the
American people.
Veterans Day continues to
be observed on Nov. 11,
regardless of what day of the
week on which it falls. The
restoration of the obser-
vance of Veterans Day to
Nov. 11 not only preserves
the historical significance of
the date, but helps focus
attention on the important
purpose of Veterans Day: A
celebration to honor
America's veterans for their
patriotism, love of country,
and willingness to serve and
sacrifice for the common
good.
Historical perspective:
How and why Veteran’s Day came to be
| NOVEMBER 6, 2013 | PAGE 12 |
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