November 11th is Veteran's day and what a great day to celebrate for our military heroes and heroines. Their bravery and sacrifices for our country are to be admired and more. Without these people, we wouldn't have a free country to live in. Unfortunately, some people do confuse Veteran's day and Memorial day. While both holidays do pay homage to our Veterans, there are differences between the two.
So how exactly did we get Veteran's day?
“Veteran's Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. Legal holiday to honor the end of World War 1, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as “”Armistice Day.”...This new legal holiday honored World War 1 veterans. Fast forward to 1954, after the events of World War 2, the word “Armistice” was changed to “Veterans,” and so we have Veteran's day which honors American veterans of all wars that Americans have been in."
Veteran's day honors our veterans still alive today, those who are retired and those still in active duty. These people should be honored every day for their services to our country. Still, Veteran's day is often confused with Memorial day.
Why do we confuse Veterans day with Memorial Day?
Memorial day is when the nation honors its fallen veterans- those who have died in battle. It takes place on the last Monday in May. Since both holidays involve veterans, it is easy to confuse the two. Ideally, however, one holiday is supposed to be for the veterans that survived and the other is an honor for the fallen without whose sacrifices we would not live in this country with our freedoms and rights.
Regardless of whether our veterans were active in war or during peace, they are worthy of our respect, encouragement, and honor. The fact that we can agree or disagree with whoever is President, Senate, whichever branch of government you choose, we have our veterans to thank for that, along with our Constitution and Bill of Rights including the Amendments. No matter which day it is, always thank your vets for the rights you currently have and enjoy.
