The History of Veterans Day
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The History of Veterans Day
Did you know that most Americans confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day? Both holidays celebrate our veterans' service, but with one significant difference. Learn the history of Veterans Day.
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A Brief History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, 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.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress - at the urging of the veterans service organizations - amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation:

Whereas it has long been our customs to commemorate November 11, the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause of peace; and

Whereas in the intervening years the United States has been involved in two other great military conflicts, which have added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this Nation; and

Whereas the Congress passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926 (44 Stat. 1982), calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies, and later provided in an act approved May 13, 1938 (52 Stat. 351), that the eleventh of November should be a legal holiday and should be known as Armistice Day; and

Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that commemoration and in order that a grateful Nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this Nation, the Congress, by an act approved June 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 168), changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day:

Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954, as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.

I also direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag of the United States on all public buildings on Veterans Day.

In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.

Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of October in the Year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-ninth.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

Celebrating the Veterans Day Holiday

If the Nov. 11 holiday falls on a non-workday - Saturday or Sunday - the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday). Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, a complete schedule can be found here. State and local government closings are determined locally, and non- government businesses can close or remain open as they see fit, regardless of federal, state or local government operation determinations.

United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on Aug. 4, 2001, designated the week of Nov.11 through Nov. 17, 2001, as "National Veterans Awareness Week." The resolution calls for educational efforts directed at elementary and secondary school students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.

The Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day

Memorial Day honors servicemembers who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.

Sources:
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
military.com

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  • Posted By: : I dont think we can blame Verg or the Police. It's the responsibility of the owner and the people that frequent that establishment. I know from living and growing up in the South Lansing area, this has always been a problem. I say....SHUT IT DOWN! Blame the irresponsible people that can not control themselves, not the Mayor or Police!!!! Take responsiblity in your own actions!!!!!
  • Posted By: Jake: You know it is easy to sit back and say close the club down you don't have any money invested,I do not think this type of crowd would be bad if the bar would bar them for life if they started a fight.I know it is hard to tell who's who because they all look the same start taking pictures of every one that goes into the club give them a membership card with photo no one gets in unless they have a membership,and if they start any kind of problems pull thier membership.To me this would be a start. There are a lot of good people out there that don't deserve to get punished for the actions of a few.The mayor and the little beady eyed city attorney need to think about the other club owners thoughts on this, the council is more like do what I say council rather do for the people.
  • Posted By: Sandi: i have spent my share of time going to the bars, however, the Venue is a crime not a bar. They were supose to hire additional security. With all the unemployment why didn't they have at least 2 or 3 guys out there patroling the parking lot at 2 a.m.? They know exactly what their patrons are like. They should have had patrols outside weeks ago. I think the Venue should be closed down, and I like the idea of a good samaritan law,if you see a crime and don't report it, you can go to jail. Lots of people had their pictures on the video lately. Anyone who goes to a bar like the Venue and thinks even one fight in the parking lot is OK has a problem, and should stay away from the bars. This constant fighting is outragous. What are we waiting for? Someone to be killed?
  • Posted By: : The city can pass a good samaritan law in which a person can serve two days in jail for not reporting a crime. It might scare some of these people into witnessing.
  • Posted By: sick and tired: put em back on the boat
  • Posted By: LegallyRad: Between venue and x-cel the cops are driving like a tennis match from north to south. Everytime there is an incident at a hip-hop club they should have to serve 3 weekends playing nothing but classic rock, country and bluegrass.
  • Posted By: Gus: Doesn't surprise me that the Lansing Police couldnt find a suspect or a victim without some outside help. With the leadership that they have with Virg "Little Man" Bernero and Mark "I am an IDIOT" Alley, it is a wonder that they can find their car keys. As for the VENUE, the violence at that location hasn't changed since the city shut down the last night club that was there. Great job Lansing!
  • Posted By: concerned: They need to shut down the Venue. Obviously the crowd that is drawn to the Venue is the same that use to frequent the Temple CLub and the LA globe. Unfortunately people do not know how to act and trouble follows these type of establishments. It is waste of resources. SHUT IT DOWN
  • Posted By: Chris: I've been to probably close to 100 heavy metal concerts and clubs/events over the years, never a shooting. Their is a completely different mind set with this Venue crowd and the mentality and music it supports.
  • Posted By: Concerned Citizen: This is the 3rd shooting at this club since it opened earlier this year. Since South Lansing and Holt is not known for this type of behavior, I can only surmise that the people that frequent this establishment are the problem. I think the time has come to close this place down and keep these hoodlums out out of our community!
  • Posted By: Frustrated!!!: I have been a patron of the Venue since it first opened and the "stories" that the MEDIA is hyping up is just that STORIES!!!! Readers need to learn to differentiate the facts from myths...I also attended the party this past saturday night and there were not "several" fights as the NEWS 10 has advised us!!! Heck they weren't even there, but I guess you gotta keep your job somehow!!! I am so so tired of the media making a mountain out of a molehill...and furthermore, from what we could see the perpetrator was directly in front of the police...so you do the math!!! It appears to me that the Venue security do their job to get the patrons out safely, and then it would also appear to me that the police department would attempt to be "proactive" opposed to "reactive"...I have witnessed them sit across the street at Lowe's and do "absolutely nothing" to assist the Venue security when "occurences" do happen in the parking lot of Mark Realty...not the parking lot of the Venue Live!!!!
  • Posted By: Tracy: How much violent crime has to happen at this club in order to shut it down? I understand it's someone's business and source of income, but come on... there's got to be some responsibility taken by the owner to protect the public and law-abiding patrons. I'm sure the owner is aware of the riff-raff coming in; use your right as the owner to deny service.
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