by Phil Pflager, Chapter Contact Veterans for Peace Chapter 101
As the country gets ready to celebrate Veterans Day I have to ask, if congress really wanted to honor veterans, why didn't they give veterans a day of their own instead of appropriating Armistice Day, a day dedicated to world peace? In 1938 Congress declared November 11 a national holiday, a day thereafter to be "dedicated to the cause of world peace."
There is a misconception as stated on the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs web page that Armistice Day was originally "a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I." That statement is a contradiction of statements in earlier paragraphs of the same document.
In the second paragraph on this government web page it is stated that in 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of 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, …" President Wilson did not specifically mention veterans in his proclamation. He spoke of "those who died" which includes the military, members of the merchant marine and civilians that "died in the country’s service."
A later paragraph states that congress on May 13, 1938, "made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" In 1938 Congress clearly dedicated November 11 to the cause of world peace, but, "thereafter" only lasted until 1954!
The congress of 1954 removed the word "Armistice" and in its place substituted the word "Veterans" proclaiming "November 11 to be a day to honor American veterans of all wars." The substitution of a single word changed the focus of the day from a day dedicated to the cause of world peace to a day that essentially glorifies war through the recognition of veterans.
Armistice Day is a day of solemn remembrance for those who died in World War I and a day dedicated to the cause of world peace. Today November 11 is a day for parades that include military vehicles and weapons on display. I have seen school children marching in military style uniforms carrying replica weapons in Veterans Day parades. This is hardly the intent of a congress that declared November 11 to be a day dedicated to the cause of world peace.
"Veterans For Peace calls for the observance of Veterans Day to be in keeping with the holiday’s original intent as Armistice Day, to be 'a day dedicated to the cause of world peace,' as it was celebrated at the ending of World War I when the world came together to recognize the need for lasting peace."