Veterans Day honors men and women who have served in the United States armed services. Although the day honors both living veterans and those who have died, it is mainly intended to thank living veterans for their service. Veterans Day celebrations in the United States include parades and speeches. Special services are held at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Veterans Day is a legal federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated on November 11, the anniversary of the end of World War I (1914-1918). In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day to remind Americans of the tragedies of war. A 1938 law made the day a federal holiday. In 1954, Congress changed the holiday’s name to Veterans Day to honor all United States veterans.
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand observe November 11 as Remembrance Day to honor people who have died in war. The United Kingdom observes Remembrance Day on the Sunday closest to November 11.
