Veterans Day was first observed on November 19th, 1919 by a proclamation from Woodrow Wilson celebrating the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. The Congress, a number of years later, passed additional legislation that made the day a legal holiday and calling it Armistice Day, a day dedicated to the cause of world peace.
Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington DC
The holiday was eventually expanded to celebrate the service all veterans, not merely those from World War I. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a new law declaring the holiday to be known as Veterans Day,
It is both a federal and state holiday, observed in all 50 states, although many businesses, schools, and local government to not close for the day. Around the world, other countries also observe the day, although it is generally known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day.
Please take a moment and thank a veteran today.
Photo credit: wikimedia
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As my husband and his father also served in the army, Remembrance Day in the UK is something we always remember. I wrote a post about his recent trip on a battlefield tour to Arnhem
http://www.europealacarte.co.uk/blog/2009/11/05/battlefield-tours-for-remembrance-sunday/
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