Remembering Our Veterans
In 1952 America was in the midst of the Korean War, but Armistice Day still persisted. This time it included Korean Veterans and commemoration for WWII veterans as well. The news article states that Korean Veterans would march in the Hartford Parade, "and the dead of all wars will receive the tribute of silent city at 11 a.m." The article includes details on a memorial service, and also a parade. The inclusion of the Korean veterans suggests that the parade is not only a celebratory gesture, but also a way of commemorating those veterans that are still living. Two years later, in 1954 Armistice Day was officially changed to Veterans Day to include all veterans, both living and dead.
Source: http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war
In 1960 America was finally done fighting in WWI, WWII and the Korean War. Armistice Day was officially a holiday that honored all Veterans, but the Hartford Courant reflects back to WWI for the significance it gave the holiday. The article states, "But the first World War I sticks in many minds because it signaled the end of the first real foreign war in which this country had been engaged for more than a century." The article emphasizes the brutality of the First World War and the unimaginable casualties that took place. Even though Armistice Day was changed to rightfully include all veterans, it is still important to recognize its original significance. The article ends by claiming, "The greatest tribute we pay their memory is to work relentlessly for permanent peace with honor."
In 1968 the Uniform Holiday Bill was passed which made Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day fall on Mondays to have three-day weekends and encourage travel and cultural activities. Many states disagreed with this, including Hartford, which claimed that the holiday had become too commercialized. In 1971 and 1972 many cities observed Veterans day on the original November, 11 and in 1975 a new bill was passed to have Veterans day remain on November 11th, so matter which day of the week it fell on. Hartford and other American's who felt strongly about maintaining the original day of Veterans Day understood the significance of the day and recognized it as a special day, not just a holiday.
Source: https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp