In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh
day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After
four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all
wars" was over.
In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England
and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each
nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in
France, the Arc de Triomphe).
These memorial gestures all took place on November 11,
giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of
World War I fighting at 11 a.m.
Armistice Day officially received its name in America
in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a
national holiday 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the
idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was
"the War to end all Wars," November 11 might still be called Armistice
Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe.
Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of WW II and
Korea, Congress was requested to make this day an occasion to honor
those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower
signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.
A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration
of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became
apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance
to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the
observance to its traditional date.
We
remember with prayerful thanks all those, the living and the dead, here
and abroad, who served the cause of freedom. May we never lose the
freedom for which so many died. We will always remember them.
No comments:
Post a Comment