VETERANS DAY

annual holiday in the United States honouring veterans of the armed forces and also the men and women killed in the country's wars. The observance originated as Armistice Day, which was set aside by the United States, Great Britain, and France to commemorate the ending of World War I (Nov. 11, 1918). After World War II it was recognized as a day of tribute to the veterans and the dead of that conflict as well. In Canada it came to be known as Remembrance Day, and in Great Britain the Sunday nearest November 11 was proclaimed Remembrance Sunday honouring the dead of both World Wars. In 1954, after the Korean War, the date was officially designated in the United States as Veterans Day to honour servicemen of all U.S. wars. Veterans Day is usually observed with parades, speeches, and floral tributes placed on servicemen's graves or memorials. In the United States, group naturalization ceremonies have come to be an important part of the day's activities. Special Veterans Day services are held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., and at similar shrines in other countries.