V eterans D ay What It Means & Why It Is Important

Originally commemorated as Armistice Day, a day to honor all veterans of WWI, Veterans Day was officially designated into law on June 1, Briefly changed to the fourth Monday in October, the date was returned to November 11 in Traditionally, Veterans Day is observed with an official wreath-laying ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery and community events across the nation. In 2001, legislation designated the week of November 11 – 17 as National Veterans Awareness Week. Veterans Day is intended to honor living veterans of wartime and peacetime, but is often confused with Memorial Day, which exists to honor those who gave their life in service to our country. Origins

Timeline 11:00 am, November 11, 1918 During WWI, a temporary cessation of hostilities, or armistice, went into effect. The official truce ending WWI, the Versailles Treaty, was signed on June 28, November 1919 President Woodrow Wilson officially named November 11 Armistice Day saying “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…” The first Armistice Day was commemorated with public gatherings and parades. Many businesses closed for the day at 11:00 am. November 11, 1921 In honor of Armistice Day, unidentified soldiers from the war were buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Timeline June 4, 1946 Congress passed this resolution in regards to Armistice Day. By this time, the day had been recognized as a legal holiday by 27 state legislatures. Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

Timeline May 13, 1938 Armistice Day was declared a legal Federal holiday (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a). At that time, the day focused primarily on veterans of WWI or “the Great War” 1941 – 1945 More than 16 million Americans served in World War II Approximately 5.7 million Americans served in the Korean War. June 1, 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law 380, legislation that amended the Armistice Day act to honor American veterans of all wars. Veterans Day was born.

Timeline October 8, 1954 President Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation stating: “In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.”

Timeline 1968 The Uniform Holidays Bill moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October to create a series of 4-day weekends throughout the year. This change resulted in confusion and opposition across the nation Veterans Day was returned to the traditional date of November United States Senate Resolution 143 designated the week of November 11 – 17 as National Veterans Awareness Week

Group Activity Working cooperatively, each group will develop a PowerPoint presentation, which highlights important aspects of Veterans Day and its meaning. Directions for your PowerPoint Presentation  Explain your interpretation of the meaning of Veterans Day  Highlight and describe all the branches of service  Highlight a collage of American men and women who severed; include a brief description of each.  Photo’s, Paintings, or other forms of art – provide at least one image or piece of artwork from each of the following wars: Revolutionary War, Civil War, War of 1812, WWI, WWII, Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, Gulf War I, Gulf War II. Include a brief description of each and its significance.  Expression through words – include at least one of the following: patriotic song with a description of the historical significance, piece of poetry describing heroism, or a primary source such as letter from soldier, a family member, or a political figure describing the effects of war on his or her life.

Literacy Component During this phase of our unit on Veterans Day, you will have the opportunity to include of the following:  Write a letter to a currently deployed service members or wounded warriors  Write an essay describing how you feel about Veterans Day According to Operation Gratitude, our troops tell us the most cherished items in the packages are the personal letters of appreciation from Americans. We welcome as many letters as you can provide. We accept letters year-round. It will only take 5 minutes out of your day to write a letter, but it will bring joy to our troops that will last a lifetime. Additional information may be found at About Operation Gratitude: Their mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member’s face and express to our Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people.