DU Historians: What the heck happened to Armistice Day?

[Smarmie Doofus]

From wiki:
>>>>>U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved 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'.">>>>

No disrespect to veterans, but how did the holiday get so twisted from " a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace" to what it is now... which is nominally Veterans' Day, but judging by MSM coverage of the day's events has degenerated to a romaticization ( if not glorification) of American wars and the American military.

Nary a peep.... not even from our new-and-improved president... regarding the day's foundational concept. To wit:

"a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

Wiki says Congress renamed it in 1954. OK, I get that the McCarthy angle must have been involved; but did no one raise a clamor?

Was there any sentiment publicly expressed in the media or elsewhere along the lines of "What the heck is so wrong about "the cause of world peace"?

I'm old... sort of... but not old enough to remember this. So.... details, anyone?

[enlightenment]

1. Well, my 20th century historian buddy suggests that

it was because there came a point (after WWII and Korea) that people realised WWI wasn't going to be "the War to End all Wars" so focus shifted from those grand ideals to something more prosaic and - realistic.

I'm an 18th century historian, but that sounds pretty reasonable to me!

[MajorChode]

2. WWI was thought to be the war to end all wars

Of course, it wasn't. It evolved into a day of remembrance to veterans even before WWII. After WWII the name change seemed appropriate so WWII veterans would be included. It was a way to include them without making a whole new holiday, which would have cost more money.

[DJ13]

3. But the original purpose was to celebrate the liberty won in WWI

Recognizing veterans while losing the liberty aspect seems like it was repurposed to celebrate war and the warriors instead.

[MajorChode]

6. That's a direct result of the change in thinking after WWII

Armistice Day was more of a celebration of peace rather than liberty, I believe. It's an international holiday that is celebrated in many parts of Europe to this day. In the US it evolved into a remembrance of veterans almost from inception, but certainly more so after WWII.

[wolfgangmo]

8. Given that other countries I have lived in focus on veterans instead of

blowing shit up (so to speak), I am not sure that your premise holds water.

Honestly the US's glorification of the military (as opposed to the sacrifice of the veterans) is more reminisicent of the USSR than a civilized country.

[MajorChode]

11. You'd have to list the countries

I lived in France for a while and it most certainly appeared to me to be a celebration of peace and remembrance for all those who died in WWI. I suspect the same is true for Belgium.

I can't go along with your premise that Veteran's day is a glorification of the military. My Grandfather was a WWI vet and I can remember him marching in parades with his VFW buddies. It always seemed to me to be a celebration of veterans, not those who are currently in the military. That seems to be changing in the last few years, but this only seems to be a recent thing. I got out of the military 20 years ago and back then I can't ever remember Veterans Day being a celebration of those who were still in uniform.

[Smarmie Doofus]

14. Not about "veterans" anymore ; it's primarily about the military.

>>>I can't go along with your premise that Veteran's day is a glorification of the military. My Grandfather was a WWI vet and I can remember him marching in parades with his VFW buddies. It always seemed to me to be a celebration of veterans, not those who are currently in the military. That seems to be changing in the last few years, but this only seems to be a recent thing. I got out of the military 20 years ago and back then I can't ever remember Veterans Day being a celebration of those who were still in uniform.>>>

Just came in from the living room where the Country Music awards were on and there were three explicit tributes ( in about five minutes' time)to active duty armed forces including one involving uniformed soldiers standing up to acknowledge the applause.

Perhaps "armed forces day" would be a better name for this holiday?

[MajorChode]

15. As I said, that seems to be the change in the last few years

CMT generally caters to various flavors of wingnuts. It comes as no surprise that they would do so. Morans have no sense of tradition and I suspect they feel deeply seeded guilt for being Iraq war cheerleaders and Bush supporters although they may not realize it. Whether their currently mentality persists is anyone's guess. One problem (although whether it's a problem or not depends on how you look at it) is that here in the US, we haven't really been shown what a meat grinder war really is because modern advances in warfare means our troops aren't so exposed to the destruction. As such the horrors of war is something someone else feels.

We already have an Armed Forces Day, BTW.

[Smarmie Doofus]

16. I know we do. We also have a Memorial Day.

>>>We already have an Armed Forces Day, BTW.>>>>

But Mr. Obama ( videos; upper rh corner of the screen) seems to be laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns.

I thought this was "Veterans' Day". Actually I thought it was Armistice Day.

Actually I'm very confused. Still trying to get a sense of how dropping of "Armistice" in favor of "Veterans" got established with no apparent public objection.

Veterans are OK but I gotta go with "World Peace" if I have to make a choice about some ideal to enshrine.

[MajorChode]

19. I suppose you have to look at it from a 1954 perspective

Peace probably seemed like something that was very remote and unattainable back then. There hadn't been a public holiday to celebrate the end of WWII like there was after WWI and they also had the end Korean War to deal with.

[Obamanaut]

4. Here's some more info for you.

http://www.history.com/content/veteransday/history-of-veterans-day

The American effort during World War II (1941-1945) saw the greatest mobilization of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force in the nation's history (more than 16 million people); some 5.7 million more served in the Korean War (1950 to 1953). In 1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans' service organizations, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word "Armistice" in favor of "Veterans." President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.


The next development in the story of Veterans Day unfolded in 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal employees—and encourage tourism and travel—by celebrating four national holidays (Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day) on Mondays.


The observation of Veterans Day was set as the fourth Monday in October. The first
Veterans Day under the new law was Monday, October 25, 1971; confusion ensued, as many states disapproved of this change, and continued to observe the holiday on its original date. In 1975, after it became evident that the actual date of Veterans Day carried historical and patriotic significance to many Americans, President Gerald R. Ford signed a new law returning the observation of Veterans Day to November 11th beginning in 1978. If November 11 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on the previous Friday or following Monday, respectively.

<more at link>

[Smarmie Doofus]

18. This is the core of it.

>>>In 1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans' service organizations, the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday, striking the word "Armistice" in favor of "Veterans.>>>>>

Hard to believe one can "strike" one concept and replace it with another that, while not exactly its opposite, certainly changes the meaning of the commemoration from what it was intended to be something that is very different.

Without creating a stir, that is; a debate of some kind.

[hfojvt]

20. there were too many veterans and their families

from WWI, WWII, and the Korean war for any politician to stand up to their lobbying. The people who believed in world peace were probably always a minority and they lost a lot of hope in WWII and with the presumed Soviet threat.

But thanks for a great thread. I wrote some LTTEs in the past complaining that Armistice day was changed to Veteran's Day (in the late 1980s and 1990s) but people came into the debate with the idea that Armistice Day was not about honoring the Armistice, but about honoring the Veterans of WWI and thus changing it to Veteran's Day only makes it more inclusive, it does not change the substance of the celebration. It really feels like a celebration of war, especially living next to a military base and being loaded with retired military people.

[TransitJohn]

5. What happened is they changed the name of the Great War to World War I

and the United States wasn't gonna work toward world peace when there was a giant Cold War to fight against the Commies.

[Raine]

7. WWI

was overwhelmed by WWII along with it's veterans. :-(

[lastliberalintexas]

9. We unfortunately kepts having wars

Humanity didn't learn from the war to end all wars, so Armistice Day was changed to Veterans' Day/Remembrance Day to honor vets of the additional wars too. Would have been nice if it could have remained Armistice Day.

[NYC_SKP]

10. I guess Armistices are bad for business, sadly. n/t

[XemaSab]

12. As an aside

it's completely tragic how World War 1 was not a "winnable" war by any measure. :(

[pscot]

13. You don't really expect Americans

to celebrate a holiday that the French observe.

[ddeclue]

17. Two wars later and with an on-going Cold War, they decided to rename it.