Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. The original holiday, observed on November 11, commemorated the armistice that ended World War I, which took effect at 11:00 a.m. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Over time, after World War II and the Korean War, veteran organizations lobbied Congress to widen the observance to include all veterans, leading to the 1954 change. The date remained November 11 to preserve the historical linkage to the armistice and the end of World War I.
