Veterans Day

Veterans Day, like Memorial Day, is a serious holiday honoring men and women who have served in the military. Originally, the holiday was called Armistice Day. It was es­tablished by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 to commemorate the signing of the armistice (on November 11, 1918) that brought an end to World War I. In 1954, Presi­dent Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill changing the name of the holiday to Veterans Day and extending its significance so that it now honors American veterans of all wars. The holiday is celebrated on November 11 throughout the U.S. and in other countries as well. The armistice between the opposing forces in World War I was signed in the eleventh month, on the eleventh day, at 11 a.m. Some people still observe two minutes of silence at that time.

On Veterans Day, the flag is displayed, and veterans march in parades in many communities. Special services are held at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. The Tomb of the Unknowns is special to Americans because the unidentified members of the military buried there symbolize everyone who has died in defense of the U.S. Large crowds also gather for services at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (commonly called The Wall) in Washington, D.C.

On this holiday, veterans' organizations in many countries sell paper poppies (red flowers) to raise money for needy veterans. Poppies became associated with World War I because of a famous poem by John McCrae. He wrote about a World War I Belgian bat­tle site, now an American military cemetery: "In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Be­tween the crosses, row on row." The poppies symbolize the contrast between the beau­tiful, peaceful landscape and the bloody battlefield it once was.

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What are four Veterans Day customs?

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