On November 11, 1918 an armistice between Allied Forces and Germany was signed, ending World War I after four years of fighting. The armistice ended hostilities at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. The following year U.S. President Woodrow Wilson issued the first Armistice Day proclamation:
To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.
On Armistice Day in 1921, an unidentified American soldier killed in WWI was buried in a special tomb in Arlington National Cemetery; now known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by members of The Old Guard and located near the center of the cemetery.
Armistice Day was declared a Federal holiday in 1938. Celebrations honoring WWI veterans continued to include parades, public gatherings, and moments of silence.
After World War II and the Korean War, veteran service organizations lobbied congress to amend the 1938 act—changing the word "Armistice" to "Veterans." This new legislation was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 1, 1954. Since November 11, 1954 the U.S. has honored American veterans, living or dead, of all wars on Veterans Day.
The following recently published books are about Veterans Day, wars involving American soldiers, or the impact veterans have on their friends and family. Browse through this feature and those from previous years to discover more.
For more information about Veterans Day visit:
Army: Civilian to Soldier
Meish Goldish
In 2006 at the age of seventeen, Ian Fisher decided to forgo college and enlist in the U.S. Army. America had already been at war in Iraq for a few years. His dream was to learn to fight and defend his country in this distant Middle East nation. To do that, Ian was sent to basic combat training at Fort Benning, Georgia. One of five locations across America that train new Army recruits, this nine-week course involves intense physical training, hand-to-hand fighting skills, and weapons instruction. Using large, full-color photographs taken by U.S. Army soldiers, readers follow the training of Fisher, learning about the infamous bag drill, the importance of their battle buddy, and why drill sergeants are so important. Basic training is not the end of a soldier's education, however. For Ian Fisher, that meant training for a special combat team and a tour in Iraq. Other Army jobs range from driving a tank to helping wounded soldiers on the field and off. Part of a well-written five-book series about "Becoming a Soldier," the authenticity of the text is supported by the efforts of consultant Fred Pushies, a U.S. SOF (Special Operations Force) Advisor. Educators will appreciate the controlled text of an average 85 words per two-page spread, written at a third-grade level, as well as the glossary, index and bibliography that makes for a good nonfiction title. Readers looking for an example of unique community helpers, and students with an interest in military careers and/or with parents in the military will be drawn to the narrative text and excellent photographs that describe a world not entirely unknown to them. 2011, Bearport Publishing Company, $22.61. Ages 6 to 12. Reviewer: Kris Sauer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9781936088119
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