The History Of Veterans Day - 1150 Words

The History of Veterans Day Every year on November 11 we honor and remember all U.S. veterans who fought for our country and freedom. We express our gratitude, and reflect on the sacrifices that were made from all the men and women throughout history. Veterans Day has been an annual holiday since 1938, and originated on November 11, 1919 after WWI (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2015). Veterans Day is not just like any other American holiday. It expresses our thanks, as American citizens, to all of those that came and fought before us to keep the United States a free country. Veterans Day has evolved over the years from being a day to honor the veterans of World War I, to becoming a staple in the American calendar so that citizens†¦show more content†¦President Wilson knew it was no longer feasible to remain neutral and on April 2, 1917, he appeared before congress and requested a declaration of war (History.com, 2010). On June 26, the first 14,000 U.S infantry troops landed in France and began tr aining for combat. A stalemate lasted for several years on the western front; this was mainly due to the weaponry used during the war. Miles of trenches were dug into the ground and supported by machine guns; many deaths occurred in order for either side to advance. There were a staggering total of 320,518 American casualties during the time span of the war (History.com, 2010). World War I formally ended on June 28, 1919 when the treaty of Versailles was signed in the Palace of Versailles in France (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2015). Even though this was the official ending of the â€Å"Great War,† fighting had come to a halt seven months earlier with an armistice, or temporary agreement to cease fighting (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2015). This armistice took place on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2015). This has been known as â€Å"the war to end all wars.† On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared this day as the first commemoration of â€Å"Armistice Day† (Wilson, 1919). He expressed the importance of this day through these words: To us in America, the reflections of armistice Day