Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is the anniversary of the ending of the World War I. In the United States it is celebrated as a federal holiday on November 11. Veterans Day has been observed annually on this date since 1978, except for a brief period when it was celebrated on the fourth Monday of October.
Following World War II, the name of the holiday was changed (enacted June 1, 1954) to Veterans Day to honor those who died in all American wars. The day has since evolved to primarily be a time of honoring living veterans who have served in the military during wartime or peacetime, partially due to competition with Memorial Day, which primarily honors the dead.
Many nations within the British Commonwealth observe a similar occasion on November 11, Remembrance Day.
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