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At the end of the first World War, which was, at the time, the worst war the world had ever been witness to, the Allied and the Central Powers signed an armistice which finally put a stop to the conflict. In honor of this day, one year later, in 1919, the Congress of the United States enacted a resolution. This resolution stated that the United States flag would be prominently displayed on all of the government buildings on the eleventh of November. And, that all of the citizens should observe this special day by holding peaceful ceremonies which would further celebrate the sanctity of peace.
Then, in May of the year of 1938, an official act was approved in which the eleventh of every November of every year would be proclaimed as being Armistice Day. This day was meant to celebrate the virutes of peace and further pursue world peace as well as honor the veterans of World War I. And, finally, it had become an official holiday.
In the year of 1954, however, after the United States had yet battled in two more wars, the Korean War and World War II, President Eisenhower signed a bill which amended the resolution and changed it from being Armistice Day to being Veterans Day. The eleventh day of November was then changed to honor not only the veterans of World War I and celebrate the end of that war, but to honor all of the veterans from all of the wars that had taken place.
However, it was not to stay the same, as fourteen years later, in the year of 1968, a bill was put into effect. This passing of this bill changed the observation of four national holidays to fall on Monday. This change would give the people a longer holiday weekend which was intended to revitalize commerce. Veterans Day was to be celebrated on the fourth Monday of October. The first Veterans Day, after the bill was put into effect, was celebrated on the twenty-fifth day of October in the year of 1971, but, only some of the states agreed with this change, and, therefore, only some of them went along with this change.
This stayed this way for the next four years until, in the year of 1975, Gerald Ford signed a new law into effect that would change Veterans Day back to its original date which was the eleventh of November, being that this date was the original one.
Today, Veterans Day is still held eleventh day of November as it was originally intended to be. It honors all of the veterans of all of the armed forces of the United States who fought in any one of the wars. It once honored only the fighting men, but it now includes the women who have done their part in helping to maintain peace, liberty, and the freedom that all Americans enjoy.
Today, parades are held and flags are displayed, especially at the graves of soldiers, and a national ceremony is held at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier which is located in the Arlington Cemetary. This tomb is a monument to honor all of the unidentified soldiers who were killed in action. A moment of silence is observed, taps is played, and the President of the United States ceremoniously lays a wreath at the base of the tomb.
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