Jump to content

November 11th


OGTEleven

Recommended Posts

Thanks to all of our Veterans. Here's a little background about Nov 11th.

 

 

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93165?fp=1

 

 

While most know that Veterans Day honors those who have served in the military, the meaning behind its exact date (November 11) may not be so familiar. Here's the backstory:

 

Back in 1918, in the 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 Allied 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 War, 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 continues every year in the U.S. The ceremony is held at 11 a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

 

Congress designated Veterans Day as a legal holiday in 1938, and since then, most Americans have come to know it as a day for store sales and parades. Yahoo! Searches on the holiday have already surged on the Web. People want to know "veterans day history," "veterans day closings," veterans day sales," and "veterans day free meals."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

God bless you, all veterans.

 

We share our undying thanks to all who have served and are serving this country.

 

Also a day to remember for all those who fought in World War I, since this day was originally known as Armistice Day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to all of our Veterans. Here's a little background about Nov 11th.

 

 

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93165?fp=1

 

 

While most know that Veterans Day honors those who have served in the military, the meaning behind its exact date (November 11) may not be so familiar. Here's the backstory:

 

Back in 1918, in the 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 Allied 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 War, 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.

 

 

Correct. But soft-peddled.

 

It became obvious early on in WWI that technology (mortars, gas, machine guns) rendered conventional ground troop tactics obsolete. The carnage was horrifically brutal and forced trench warfare to keep from losing entire armies. The armistice/truce, if effect, said 'everybody stop where you are and blame Germany'. This, in turn, spawned Hitler's rise to power and less than a generation later, he exacted his revenge on the world. The name was changed because the 'armistice' was a political failure, though it likely saved untold millions of lives.

 

WWII was a continuation of the Great War, which was why the Allies demanded total, unconditional surrender before hostilities would end.

 

Happy Veterans Day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...