Veterans Day Poster for 2010 |
The United States celebrates
Veterans Day on November 11, which for 2012 falls on a Sunday. It is a day of
thanksgiving and of honoring all the veterans, dead and living that served in
the wars, in the service of the United States of America.
Veterans Day should not be
confused with Memorial Day, for which some assume are one and the same.
Memorial Day is the day when the country honors those that have given their lives
for the country, and celebrated on the last Monday of the month of May
annually.
But why is Veterans Day
celebrated on November 11? The date is very significant, that is why. It was
the day “The Armistice” that ended the First World War was signed. The
number combination was 11-11-11. It was signed in November, the 11th
month, on the 11th day, at the 11th hour in 1918. The
location of the signing of the armistice was the forest in Compiègne, a city in
France, which is about 60 kilometers or 37 miles from Paris.
A bit of history
The Armistice
Men of U.S. 64th Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, celebrate the news of the Armistice, November 11, 1918 |
Then U.S. President Woodrow
Wilson proposed policies and guidelines for post-war order when he addressed
the joint session of Congress on January 1918, which was an ideal scenario for
ensuring peace in Europe and the rest of the world. The actual terms of the
armistice was penned by Ferdinand Foch, a French Marshal. It stated that German
troops should completely withdraw to their own borders and that hostilities
should cease completely. Infrastructure should be preserved, prisoners
exchanged, the German submarines and warships are to be disposed and Germany must
pay reparations. Also included in the terms of the armistice were the
conditions for its termination or continuation.
Armistice Day
Before it was called
Veterans Day, the federal holiday was named Armistice Day, celebrated annually
on November 11 as proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson exactly one year after
the end of the First World War.
On June 4, 1926 the U.S.
Congress passed a resolution, requesting President Calvin Coolidge to have
appropriate ceremonies for the observance of the holiday. It became a legal
holiday on May 13, 1938. They were then honoring only the war veterans of First
World War. In 1945, Raymond Weeks, a veteran of the Second World War proposed
the idea of including all war veterans in the celebration to General Dwight
Eisenhower, leading to the creation of the National Veterans Day. A bill was
proposed through Congress to establish the holiday, which was signed into law
on May 26, 1954 by President Dwight Eisenhower. The law was amended six days
later, changing the name Armistice to Veterans.
The Ceremony
The observance of Veterans
Day begins with a solemn ceremony. A color guard composed of members from all the
military branches of the United States Armed Forces gathers at the Tomb of the
Unknowns located at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County,
Virginia on the 11th hour of November 11. A bugler plays the “Taps” as
the President of the United States or a representative of the President places
a wreath in front of the Tomb. Near the Tomb is the Memorial Amphitheater where
the rest of the ceremony is held. One of the highlights is the Parade of Flags
that is participated by the different organizations in the service of the
veterans.
Veterans Day around the World
1918 Armistace Day Celebrations, King and Bay Streets Downtown Toronto |
Red Poppy Tradition
Members of the World War II era Scouts and Raiders stand to be recognized during the 2009 Veterans Day Ceremony |
It became a tradition to
wear a red poppy during the commemoration of Memorial Day or Veterans Day. Have
you ever wondered why? It was because the poppy fields in Belgium and
Luxembourg were the sites of the most of the battles during the invasion by
Germany. Back then the poppy seeds were lying dormant. But the soils on the
fields were churned by the battles fought on what was called the Western Front.
It resulted in the red poppies blooming like never before, with millions of
flowers sprouted, covering the area in flaming red. It provided the inspiration
for Major John McCrae, a Canadian soldier to write a poem, “In Flanders’
Fields” that inspired an American teacher, Miss Moira Bell Michael to also
write a poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith.” She started wearing a poppy flower,
which eventually became a tradition. Artificial poppy flowers are now sold to
raise funds for the veterans and their families.
So this November 11, buy and
wear a red poppy, give a warm hug to the veterans you know, send letters of
thanks to them and spend part of your holiday with them, to give them cheers
and thanks for their sacrifice to keep the peace, not only in your life but
around the world.
by: Bernadine B. Racoma, Editor
Day Translations, Inc. “The most accurate translations on the planet!”
Day Translations, Inc. “The most accurate translations on the planet!”
Photo Credits:
Men
of U.S. 64th Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, celebrate the news of the
Armistice, November 11, 1918Members
of the World War II era Scouts and Raiders stand to be recognized during the
2009 Veterans Day Ceremony
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