The Origins of Veterans Day

   In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln addressed the war-torn nation in his Second Inaugural Address. He made a promise to our nation's veterans that America would "...care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." President Lincoln's words became the motto of the Veterans Administration.

   When the end came to World War I,  November 11, 1919 was set aside to commemorate the sacrifices made by American soldiers fighting to gain a lasting peace for the world. This day was called Armistice Day and soldiers who survived the war marched in parades through their home towns. After World War II, Armistice Day continued to be observed, but many Americans realized that there should be a way to recognize those who had made sacrifices in other conflicts as well.

   President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill in 1954 proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day. Americans were called upon to rededicate themselves to the cause of peace. A Presidential Order was issued directing the head of the Veterans Administration, now the Department of Veterans Affairs, to form a Veterans Day National Committee to organize and be in charge of the natural observance on Veterans Day. November 11 as designated as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars. In 1978, Congress formally assigned November 11 as the customary date for Veterans Day.

   Each year, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, D.C., where thousands of service personnel are buried, is the focus of the nation's tribute on Veterans Day.