History of Veterans Day

A professor recently commented, "We write things down so we can forget them." 
Now, of course this is wrong, except in the limited sense of writing down 
appointments so we don't have to worry about forgetting things. But that's 
just it -- we do forget things. As individuals we forget things that are 
important to us. Corporations seem to have little in the way corporate memory, 
so they can do things better the next time. Countries forget the things that 
have occurred in their past, that make them unique. In many parts of the 
world -- Europe in particular and former British Commonwealth specifically -- 
there are memorials in the town square commemorating their war heroes, 
usually with the words "Lest we forget".

Historically, Veterans Day used to be called Armistice Day, commemorating the 
ending of World War I on November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of 
the 11th month.) At 5 am on that day, Germany signed the Armistice (truce) in 
the Forest of Compeigne and the order was given for a cease fire, after 4 years 
of war. In the United States in 1919 President Woodrow Wilson issued an 
Armistice Day proclamation, but it was not until Congress first passed a 
resolution in 1926, and then passed a bill 12 years later that it became a 
federal holiday. But WWI, "the War to end all wars" was not the final war, and 
of the 16 million who served in WWII, more than 400,000 died. Birmingham, 
Alabama organized a "Veterans Day" parade on November 11, 1947 to honor all of 
America's veterans for all wars. In 1953 townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called 
the holiday Veterans Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Soon 
after, Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the 
federal holiday to Veterans Day. In 1954 President Eisenhower proclaimed 
November 11 as Veterans Day asking Americans to redicate themselves to the 
cause of peace.

It is said that in old age, two things happen: first, you begin to lose your 
memory, next... I can't recall right now. I for one am in favor of memorials, 
tributes, and parades. Let us remember, recognize, and preserve the memory of 
those who came before us and what freedoms we enjoy because of their sacrifices.
This is one of the reasons I created a tribute webpage for my father, a 
World War II soldier and hero who liberated the death camp at Dachau 
(http://www.billpetro.com/johnpetro). HBO picked up his story and features in 
on their website when they run the Dachau episode of "Band of Brothers" 
(http://www.hbo.com/band/landing/why_we_fight.html). Get yourself a copy of 
the DVD and watch it. It will be good for your memory.

Some have said that we are raising up a generation who knows less about their 
own history than any generation before them. Let that not be our legacy for 
the future.

"Lest we forget."

	Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
	www.billpetro.com