Introduction
For a non-American, the terms "Memorial Day" and "Veterans Day" may not be familiar. Memorial Day and Veterans Day are two federal holidays celebrated in the United States of America. These are American holidays that are observed to honour their military personnel. They are held in remembrance of the brave men and women who have served, who have given their lives, and who are currently serving in the armed forces.
Memorial Day vs Veterans Day
Memorial Day falls on the last Monday of May. It is in remembrance of the brave soldiers who fought and gave their lives during the wars. Initially, the day was observed to honour the soldier who lost their lives in the American Civil War. Eventually, it became a day to honour everyone who gave their lives in wars for the country. It was declared a national holiday by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the year 1967. The citizens of The United States of America observe this day by visiting cemeteries and memorials and decorating the gravestones of the fallen soldiers. Initially known as Decoration Day, its name was changed to Memorial Day in 1967.
Veterans Day is observed on November 11. It is held to commemorate all military personnel in the United States Armed Forces, both alive and dead; irrespective of whether or not they were in the war. Initially, Veterans Day was celebrated to honour the brave men and women who gave their lives during World War I. Eventually, as the number of wars fought by the country increased, the day was observed to honour all who lost their lives in all the wars. The main difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is that Veterans Day honours those soldiers who are currently serving as well. Veterans Day is celebrated by holding parades, church services, etc. Veterans Day was officially declared a national holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in the year 1919, although then it was known as Armistice Day. President Eisenhower of the United States of America, renamed the holiday Veterans Day in 1954.
Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day in Tabular Form
| Parameters of Comparison | Memorial Day | Veterans Day |
| Date held on | Last Monday of May | November 11 |
| In honour of | Everyone who died in war or due to injuries received during the war | All military personnel, irrespective of whether they fought in the wars |
| Initially called as | Decoration Day | Armistice Day |
| Origin | After the American Civil War, in honour of all fallen soldiers | After World War I, to honour soldiers who served in the war |
| Traditions | Visiting cemeteries and memorials. Decorating the graves of fallen soldiers. | Parades, special church services, etc. |
| President who officially declared the day | Lyndon B Johnson | Woodrow Wilson |
| Date observed in 2023 | 08-04-2023 | 11-11-2023 |
What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is an American federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. The day is celebrated to remember and honour the soldiers who gave their lives in the wars or died as a result of the injuries suffered from the wars. It was initially held to remember those who had died in the Civil War, but over the years, it began to honour military personnel who gave their lives for all wars fought by the country, including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the numerous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The American Civil War in brief (War Between the States)
Since Memorial Day was first commemorated in remembrance of soldiers who lost their lives in the Civil War, it is important to know about the American Civil War for better comprehension of Memorial Day.
The American Civil War was fought for four years from 1861 to 1865. The northern states of America and the southern States had major disagreements regarding slavery. This dispute lasted for several decades, until the succession of Abraham Lincoln as the President of The United States in 1860. Lincoln stood for the abolition of slavery and gave slaves their rights. The southern states were against slave rights. Ergo, they seceded and created the “Confederate States of America.” War broke out between the states and soon four more southern states joined the cause. The war ultimately came to an end with the surrender of the Confederates in 1865.
Origin of Memorial Day
Memorial Day was first observed after the end of the Civil War. Many devoted soldiers gave their lives for their cause. Initially, this was not observed as a national holiday or even an annual event, it was just a day dedicated to decorating the graves of fallen soldiers.
The exact date and place of the origin of this tradition are not known. Some argue that the day was first observed by a group of former slaves in Charleston, South Carolina, on 1st May 1865. This was directly after the death of President Abraham Lincoln. Charleston was adopted for commemorating the event because 257 Union prisoners had lost their lives there. Because of the war, their bodies had been buried post-haste and in unmarked graves. However, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs claims that the first Memorial Day event was held in Columbus, Mississippi on 25th April 1866. It is said that on that day a group of women paid a visit to the cemetery and decorated the graves of the Confederate soldiers, who lost their lives during the battle of Shiloh.
Despite these historical references, the official birthplace of Memorial Day was selected as Waterloo, New York, in 1996. The residents of Waterloo first observed Memorial Day in 1866 by decorating the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags. Waterloo was selected because it already had an annual event where they ceased all working and decorated the graves of the fallen soldiers.
On 5th May 1868, General John A. Logan asked for a nationwide remembrance day. He asked the day to be the 30th of May and named it “Decoration Day,” because of the decorations done on the graves. This tradition continued until 1967 when the day was renamed Memorial Day. In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed the date of celebration to the last Monday of May. In the year 1971, Memorial Day was finally announced as a National Holiday.
Traditions followed on Memorial Day
- Visiting cemeteries and memorials.
- Decorating graves with flowers and flags.
- Annual parades
- Religious ceremonies followed by potluck dinner
- A national moment of remembrance at 3 p.m.
- Wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery with a speech given by the President of the United States.
What is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day is another American federal holiday. It is celebrated on November 11. Veterans Day is observed to honour all military personnel of the armed forces. It remembers people who gave their lives and people who are currently serving. Initially, it was a day of remembrance of those who gave their lives during World War I.
A brief overview of World War I (The Great War)
Veterans Day was first observed after World War I, to honour the soldiers who lost their lives during the war.
The First World War took place from 1914 to 1918. It began as a result of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. The war was fought by Germany, Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire (together known as “the central powers”) on one side, and Great Britain, Russia, Romania, France, Japan, Italy, Canada and The United States (together known as “the Allied Powers”) on the other side. After four years, the Allied Powers won the war, but the war resulted in a casualty of more than 16 million people.
Origin of Veterans Day
Veterans Day was first observed on November 11 1919. The day was specifically selected because, it was on "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” in 1918, that the World War I ended with the armistice with Germany. Owing to this fact, the day was initially called Armistice Day.
Armistice Day was commemorated in 1921 when the body of an unknown soldier who died in World War I was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1926, congress sent a request to President Calvin Coolidge to make Armistice Day an official national holiday. In 1938, November 11 was officially declared a federal holiday in the United States of America.
Armistice Day was thus called because they thought World War I, would be the last war to ever be fought. This changed with the eruption of the Second World War, fought by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party with Italy and Japan (the Axis powers), against France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, China and the United States (the Allies).
After the end of World War II, veteran Raymond Weeks put forward an idea to extend the commemoration of Armistice Day to include all veterans who fought in both wars. Because of this act, Raymond Weeks was named the “Father of Veterans Day.”
1n 1954, Edwin K. Rees from Kansas, proposed that November 11 be set as the day to honour all men and women who gave their lives during all American Wars. This idea was finally officially passed as a bill on 26th May 1954, by President Dwight Eisenhower. On 1st June 1954, President Eisenhower officially changed the name to Veterans Day.
However, in 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill of Congress was passed, which moved the date of celebration to the fourth Monday of October. The law came into effect in 1971, but many citizens were against the date because it lost its significance (the date on which World War I ended). Eventually, in 1975, President Gerald Ford changed the date back to November 11. To this day, the United States celebrates Veterans Day on November 11.
Traditions followed on Veterans Day
- Memorial services are held at cemeteries.
- Ceremonies are held annually at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
- Decorative wreaths and floral tributes are placed on the graves of fallen soldiers.
- Town hold parades, sometimes with military marching bands.
- Churches perform special services.
- Families come together to thank the veterans for their service.
- Naturalization ceremonies.
- If November 11 falls on a Saturday the federal government observes it on Friday.
- If November 11 falls on a Sunday the federal government observes it on Monday.
Main Differences between Memorial Day and Veterans Day (in Points)
- Memorial Day is held in remembrance of fallen soldiers. Veterans Day is observed in honour of all military personnel who served during the wars, died during the wars, and are still serving in the army.
- Memorial Day was first observed to honour soldiers who gave their lives during the Civil War. Veterans Day was first observed to honour soldiers who died in World War I.
- Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. Veterans Day is held on November 11, the date signifying the day World War I ended.
- Memorial Day was initially called Decoration Day (because of the decorations done on graves), while Veterans Day was initially called Armistice Day (because of the armistice with Germany that ended World War I).
- Memorial Day was officially declared a national holiday by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Veterans Day was officially declared a holiday by President Woodrow Wilson.
- Memorial Day is celebrated as a National Holiday. In contrast, Veterans Day is a federal and State holiday. The local government has the authority to close shops or not.
Conclusion
In short, Memorial Day and Veterans Day are both federal holidays observed by the United States of America. They are both held in remembrance of the brave men and women who fought in the American wars.
Memorial Day, initially Decoration Day, was observed in remembrance of soldiers who died during the American Civil War. Eventually, it began to honour all soldiers who lost their lives in all wars. It is observed every year on the last Monday of May. The day is observed by visiting cemeteries and decorating the graves of fallen soldiers. Veterans Day, in contrast, was first held to honour the soldiers who fought in the First World War. Eventually, it came to honour all who fought in the war, died in the war, and those still serving in the army. Veterans Day is celebrated by visiting cemeteries, especially the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery and decorating the graves, holding parades and church services, etc.
References
- https://www.rd.com/article/memorial-day-vs-veterans-day-difference/
- https://www.history.com/news/memorial-day-veterans-day-differences-quotes
- https://www.memorialdayfoundation.org/education-and-history/memorial-day-and-veterans-day.html
- https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history
- https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/american-civil-war-history
- https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/veterans-day-facts
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Veterans-Day
- https://nationaltoday.com/veterans-day/
- https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history
