• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Armistice day in the USA

Higgins86

Higgins86

DP Veteran
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
18,130
Reaction score
10,134
Location
England
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
So worldwide 11/11 is known as Armistice day, in many countries poppies are worn and its a day where we collectively pause to remember those that died in the two great wars of our history. However in the US its knows as Veterans day and instead you honour the living and remember the dead on a different day in the year.
My question is as Americans would you prefer to join the rest of the ww2 nations on this day and formally mark WW2 and WW1? Also why is it that the US marks the differently?
 
I honestly never thought about it; Just America being America I suppose.....not a very good explanation, but we don't even have a vey good reason for not going to the metric system either.

:shrug:
 
The poppies are more of a commonwealth only thing despite originally being created by Americans. I would assume because the poppies were prevalent in the sectors of the front with Commonwealth forces and later Americans towards the very end of the war.
 
the title of this thread would make a great song name for a punk band
 
Carjosse said:
The poppies are more of a commonwealth only thing despite originally being created by Americans. I would assume because the poppies were prevalent in the sectors of the front with Commonwealth forces and later Americans towards the very end of the war.
Click to expand...

always found it strange that the poppy never took off in the US, as a country they are very proud and rightly so of their military. The poppy for me is such a simple way to show your respects and also raise money for a good cause.
 
Higgins86 said:
always found it strange that the poppy never took off in the US, as a country they are very proud and rightly so of their military. The poppy for me is such a simple way to show your respects and also raise money for a good cause.
Click to expand...

I found an article from the BBC and is apparently the ship carrying them did not arrive in time for November 11th anniversary in the 20s so they never took off.
 
Higgins86 said:
So worldwide 11/11 is known as Armistice day, in many countries poppies are worn and its a day where we collectively pause to remember those that died in the two great wars of our history. However in the US its knows as Veterans day and instead you honour the living and remember the dead on a different day in the year.
My question is as Americans would you prefer to join the rest of the ww2 nations on this day and formally mark WW2 and WW1? Also why is it that the US marks the differently?
Click to expand...


11 Nov was first called Armistice Day like the rest of the world. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. In 1938 Armistice Day became a legal federal holiday, but many states prior to that observed it as a legal holiday within their state.

Here is some history.

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." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars."

https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

The history is in the link above. Veterans Day isn't just about the living, it a day honoring all who severed in all the Wars America fought in.
 
Higgins86 said:
always found it strange that the poppy never took off in the US, as a country they are very proud and rightly so of their military. The poppy for me is such a simple way to show your respects and also raise money for a good cause.
Click to expand...

the VFW and American Legion hands out poppies in the U.S. Poppies used to be very popular, but has faded into almost oblivion over the last 20-30 years.
 
Perotista said:
11 Nov was first called Armistice Day like the rest of the world. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. In 1938 Armistice Day became a legal federal holiday, but many states prior to that observed it as a legal holiday within their state.

Here is some history.

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." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars."

https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

The history is in the link above. Veterans Day isn't just about the living, it a day honoring all who severed in all the Wars America fought in.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the post. My confusion probably comes from Memorial Day which from what I️ understand is a day that America salutes the greatest sacrifice. I’ve always viewed America’s Veterans Day as a celebration of the living.

Just to be clear I️ have no issue with either just curious how the US marks it very differently from the rest of the WW2 allies
 
Higgins86 said:
So worldwide 11/11 is known as Armistice day, in many countries poppies are worn and its a day where we collectively pause to remember those that died in the two great wars of our history. However in the US its knows as Veterans day and instead you honour the living and remember the dead on a different day in the year.
My question is as Americans would you prefer to join the rest of the ww2 nations on this day and formally mark WW2 and WW1? Also why is it that the US marks the differently?
Click to expand...

We want to honor all our veterans, not just some of them. On Veterans day, we honor the ones who came home. On Memorial Day, we remember the ones who didn't.
 
Higgins86 said:
Thanks for the post. My confusion probably comes from Memorial Day which from what I️ understand is a day that America salutes the greatest sacrifice. I’ve always viewed America’s Veterans Day as a celebration of the living.

Just to be clear I️ have no issue with either just curious how the US marks it very differently from the rest of the WW2 allies
Click to expand...

Yes, Memorial Day is to honor those who gave all. There's a saying here, at least among the military, "Some gave all, all gave some." That pretty well sums it up.
 
apdst said:
We want to honor all our veterans, not just some of them. On Veterans day, we honor the ones who came home. On Memorial Day, we remember the ones who didn't.
Click to expand...

I get that but I wonder if because ww2 was such an abstract war for the majority of Americans if maybe you just view it a lot differently. In Europe obviously it was not only a loss of soldiers but also a loss of civilians and infrastucture. Add to that years of rations and rebuilding etc
 
Higgins86 said:
So worldwide 11/11 is known as Armistice day, in many countries poppies are worn and its a day where we collectively pause to remember those that died in the two great wars of our history. However in the US its knows as Veterans day and instead you honour the living and remember the dead on a different day in the year.
My question is as Americans would you prefer to join the rest of the ww2 nations on this day and formally mark WW2 and WW1? Also why is it that the US marks the differently?
Click to expand...

We did celebrate the 11th as "Armistice Day" until they changed it Veteran's Day in the 50's. The idea was to include WWII vets and Korea vets in the honors. We also used to recognize VE day and VJ day but those have kind of gone by the wayside.

WWI was a much different experience for Americans than it was for Europeans. There was no Pearl Harbor type experience to draw us into the war but the sinking of the Lusitania kind of solidified public opinion that if we didn't get involved directly we'd be sucked in anyway.
 
This year actually marks the 99th anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War.

It was great to see so many quite young people earlier today paying their respects on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row...
 
Though we should honor those who serve, in a way it’s too bad it has been de-linked from WWI, which in my view was the great crime of the last century: fought for no discernible reason, and gave the world Hitler, Stalin, WWII and the Cold War. Check out “Paths of Glory,” the great Kubrick film that sums up the madness.
 
Higgins86 said:
So worldwide 11/11 is known as Armistice day, in many countries poppies are worn and its a day where we collectively pause to remember those that died in the two great wars of our history. However in the US its knows as Veterans day and instead you honour the living and remember the dead on a different day in the year.
My question is as Americans would you prefer to join the rest of the ww2 nations on this day and formally mark WW2 and WW1? Also why is it that the US marks the differently?
Click to expand...

Some of us veterans actually get pissed off on Armistice day, especially after losing 116,000 men over nothing more than Royal families squabbles. Americans had no business in that war...........and a few others afterwards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom