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| Wednesday, November 11, 2009 |
| The 11th Hour: The Date Behind Veterans Day |
"While most know that Veterans Day honors those who have served in the military, the meaning behind its exact date (November 11th) may not be so familiar. Here's the backstory:
Back in 1918, int he 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a stop to hostilities was declared, ending World War I. An armistice to cease the fighting on the Western Front was signed by the Allies powers and Germany.
President Woodrow Wilson immediately proclaimed the day "Armistice Day," kicking off the annual commemoration on November 11. But over the years, with veterans returning from World War II and the Korean Was, Armistice Day became Veterans Day - a day reserved to honor veterans returning from all wars. But 11/11 still represented the end of the Great War in the public's mind, and the date stuck.
In 1921, unidentified dead from the war were buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey in London, and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The tradition to honor those killed in the war but never identified continued every year in the U.S. The ceremony in held at 11 a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery."
(This is all quoted from Yahoo News, I just quoted the whole thing - there something new you've learned today).Labels: News |
posted by Heidi @ 9:24 AM  |
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