11/11/2025
November 11 is significant for Veterans Day because it marks the anniversary of the November 11, 1918, armistice that ended World War I. The holiday originated as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of the war, and the date of the armistice was the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month". In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars.
Armistice Day: On November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed between the Allied nations and Germany, officially ending combat in World War I. This date was first commemorated the following year as Armistice Day.
Expansion to Veterans Day: After World War II and the Korean War, it was decided that the day should honor all veterans, not just those from World War I.
Name change: In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day.
Return to traditional date: The date was briefly moved to the fourth Monday in October by a 1968 law, but it was returned to November 11 in 1978 due to the date's historical significance.
Global observance: Many countries that fought in the World Wars also commemorate November 11.