At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, World War I ended when Germany, unable to continue to fight against larger adversaries, signed the Armistice agreement. The world’s first great war had ended with over 9 million soldiers dead, and countless others wounded or ill.
In 1926, Congress declared Armistice Day a national holiday to honor and promote peace. In 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress, at the urging of veteran’s organizations, changed the day to “Veteran’s Day” in order to honor the veterans of all the wars for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
