Armistice Day / Remembrance Day

Armistice Day, observed on November 11, commemorates the end of World War I. At 11:00 AM on November 11, 1918 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month), the armistice between the Allied forces and Germany went into effect, ending "the war to end all wars." The day is known by different names: Armistice Day in France and Belgium, Remembrance Day in the UK, Canada, and Australia, and Veterans Day in the United States.

The armistice was signed in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiègne, France, on November 11, 1918. The signing occurred at 5:45 AM, but the armistice took effect at 11:00 AM to allow time for communication to reach all troops. World War I had lasted four years and claimed approximately 17 million lives. The first Armistice Day was commemorated in 1919, and in the UK, King George V introduced the two-minute silence in 1919. In the US, Armistice Day became Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all veterans.

November 11 is marked by moments of silence at 11:00 AM, wreath-laying ceremonies at war memorials, and wearing red poppies (particularly in Commonwealth countries). In the UK, the two-minute silence is observed nationwide. France holds ceremonies at the Arc de Triomphe with the President rekindling the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In Belgium, the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres has occurred every evening since 1928. Veterans Day in the US features parades and ceremonies honoring all who served.