Veterans Day in the US, Armistice or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world

I've always tried to observe Veterans Day,

whether I was playing in AEDM or not.  Per the Veterans Administration (va.gov):

A number of countries honor their veterans each year on November 11, although the name and types of commemorations differ somewhat from Veterans Day celebrations in the United States. For example, Canada and Australia observe "Remembrance Day" on November 11, and Great Britain observes "Remembrance Day" on the Sunday nearest to November 11. There are similarities and differences between these countries' Remembrance Day and America's Veterans Day. Canada's observance is actually quite similar to the U.S. celebration, in that the day is intended to honor all who served in Canada's Armed Forces. However, unlike in the U.S., many Canadians wear red poppy flowers on November 11 in honor of their war dead. In Australia, Remembrance Day is very much like America's Memorial Day, a day to honor that nation's war dead.

In Great Britain, the day is commemorated by church services and parades of ex-service members in Whitehall, a wide ceremonial avenue leading from London's Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square. Wreaths of poppies are left at the Cenotaph, a war memorial in Whitehall, which was built after the First World War. At the Cenotaph and elsewhere in the country, a two-minute silence is observed at 11 a.m., to honor those who lost their lives in wars.

Speaking of Great Britain, my internet friend Janet at Tattered 'n Worn was in London this September and allowed me to use one of her gorgeous photos of the poppies that have now taken over the Tower of London moat.  The poppies represent the 888,246 British servicemen who lost their lives in WWI.  This is the 100th anniversary of that war, and is a chilling reminder that each poppy represents a life. Janet wrote when she took this photo (and others):

With nearly two months worth of poppies yet to be placed, it is already a dramatic presentation.

I saw an overhead shot of the moat on a TV special a few days ago, and I agree with Janet that it was truly "dramatic."

I was sure I remembered my Grandfather buying poppies for us to wear on Veterans Day,
 
but again, according to the VA:

The wearing of poppies in honor of America's war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day, not Veterans Day. The practice of wearing of poppies takes its origin from the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 by John McCrae.

As an aside, I created a Memorial Day altered book spread using that poem a few years ago.

I found the following on the Army's web site:

1918

World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities-in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918.

1919

November 11: President Wilson proclaims the first Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations." The original concept for the celebration was for the suspension of business for a two minute period beginning at 11 A.M., with the day also marked by parades and public meetings.

1920

On the second anniversary of the armistice, France and the United Kingdom hold ceremonies honoring their unknown dead from the war. In America, at the suggestion of church groups, President Wilson names the Sunday nearest Armistice Day Sunday, on which should be held services in the interest of international peace.

1921

Congress passes legislation approving the establishment of a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. November 11 is chosen for the date of the ceremony. According on October 20, Congress declares November 11, 1921 a legal Federal holiday to honor all those who participated in the war. The ceremony was conducted with great success.

1926

Congress adopts a resolution directing the President to issue an annual proclamation calling on the observance of Armistice Day. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, most states establish November 11 as a legal holiday and at the Federal level, an annual proclamation is issued by the President.

1938

Congress passes legislation on May 13 making November 11 a legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. The United States has no 'actual' national holidays because the states retain the right to designate their own holidays. The Federal government can in fact only designate holidays for Federal employees and for the District of Columbia. But in practice the states almost always follow the Federal lead in designation of holidays.

1941- 1945
1950- 1953

World War II and the Korean War create millions of additional war veterans in addition to those of the First World War already honored by Armistice Day.

1954

On June 1, President Eisenhower signs legislation changing the name of the legal holiday from Armistice Day to Veteran's Day.

1968

Congress passes the Monday Holiday Law which established the fourth Monday in October as the new date for the observance of Veteran's Day. The law is to take effect in 1971.

1971-1975

The Federal observance of Veterans Day is held on the fourth Monday of October. Initially all states follow suit except Mississippi and South Dakota. Other states changed their observances back to November 11 as follows: 1972- Louisiana and Wisconsin; 1974- Kentucky, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, South Carolina, West Virginia; 1975- California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming

1975

Legislation passed to return the Federal observance of Veteran's Day to November 11, based on popular support throughout the nation. Since the change to the fourth Monday in October, 46 states had either continued to commemorate November 11 or had reverted back to the original date based on popular sentiment. The law was to take effect in 1978.

1978

Veteran's Day observance reverts to November 11. 

Even the Army web site didn't get the name of Veterans Day correct, as it vacillates between Veteran's and Veterans.  According to VA.gov, the correct spelling is:

Veterans Day. Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an "s" at the end of "veterans" because it is not a day that "belongs" to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.

So, please hug a Vet today, watch a parade, or honor in some way, those who have served or died, both domestically and abroad, for your country.

This is day 12 of AEDM and I am honoring all Vets today by sharing a bit of what I learned about  Veterans Day.  And I am posting at 11:00 am CST, so each of us can take a few moments to observe this US National Holiday.