Armistice Day
November 11, 2010 (Thursday)
The year was 1918. The time was the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. An Armistice was signed to end “the war to end all wars,” The World War. We refer to that war now as World War 1, because about 20 years later there was World War 2, and that war did not end all wars, either. When I was growing up, November 11 was a day for a giant parade downtown, and there were no classes in the schools. Bands played, military men marched, and weapons were displayed.
The day was changed from “Armistice Day” to “Veterans Day” after the second World War and the Korean “police action.” On June 1, 1954 the name was officially changed to “Veterans Day” to honor American veterans of all wars.
Veterans Day is a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Congress passed a law to change the date of certain celebrations to create long weekends, but Americans steadfastly resisted changing November 11 to any other date. Special legislation was passed to keep November 11 each year as the day on which we honor the veterans.
Military people representing our nation are all around the world today, many of them in harm’s way as you read this. Breathe a prayer for them, and when you see a veteran today, you can thank him/her for what their service means to you.