November 11, 2004
Armistice Day
The African-American troops of the 92nd Division
We didn't always have Veteran's day. We used to have Armistice Day. In 1918 on the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month, the War To End All Wars ended with the signing of an armistice. 35 countries were involved and millions of people lost their life. The world would never be the same. We, as a nation, decided to pause on every anniversary of that day to remember those who had died as a reminder of why we should not involve ourselves in war. It was a day to remind ourselves of the futility of war. Imagine the horror that was to cause this thinking in the U.S. when we were only in that 5 year war for one year.
In 1968 our legislature decided to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day in order to honor all Veterans from all wars (they also changed the date and it took 10 years for them to put it back on the 11th). I think we lost something when it was changed. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't mind honoring veterans. That is why we have Memorial Day.
No, World War I did not end all wars, in fact the measures taken after that war are still being felt today and have even caused more wars - think Middle East boundaries. To me those very reasons are why we should still have Armistice Day and remember the Great War and the lessons we were suppose to learn from it.
Posted by dmason at November 11, 2004 06:53 PM