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The Eleventh Hour
Author: BobR
Date: 11/11/2009 12:57:57
We've all heard the expression saying something was saved "in the 11th hour". It means that on the cusp of all hope being lost, something remarkable happened to save the day. What most of us don't realize is that the expression has direct ties to today - Veterans Day.
That's because the treaty to end WWI was signed in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month:
Of course 20 years later, the "war to end all wars" became WWI when WWII began to coalesce. Most people know (or knew) someone that fought in WWII. I have several uncles that are veterans of that war; one was given a military funeral about 10 years ago. There aren't that many WWII veterans left.
What's surprising is that there still a small handful of WWI veterans left. I read a few days ago that one recently died (cannot find the news article), but apparently there is still at least a couple left. I find it stunning that there are survivors of a war that ended 91 years ago today.
It's also interesting to note that the Marine Corps was created 234 years ago today. What a strang coincidence...
Sometimes it feels like we are in the 11th hour here in America, with economic calamity on the brink, the environment teetering on the edge, and political lunacy becoming more rampant. We should all keep in mind that our veterans fought to keep our country together and we should honor their service by committing ourselves to do the same from the non-military side.
But first - take a moment today to remember those who've put their lives on the line in service to our country.
Thank-you veterans, young and old
That's because the treaty to end WWI was signed in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month:
While most know that Veterans Day honors those who have served in the military, the meaning behind its exact date (November 11) may not be so familiar. Here's the backstory:
Back in 1918, in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a stop to hostilities was declared, ending World War I. An armistice to cease the fighting on the Western Front was signed by the Allied powers and Germany.
President Woodrow Wilson immediately proclaimed the day "Armistice Day," kicking off the annual commemoration on November 11. But over the years, with veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day — a day reserved to honor veterans returning from all wars. But 11/11 still represented the end of the Great War in the public's mind, and the date stuck.
In 1921, unidentified dead from the war were buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey in London, and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The tradition to honor those killed in the war but never identified continues every year in the U.S. The ceremony is held at 11 a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Of course 20 years later, the "war to end all wars" became WWI when WWII began to coalesce. Most people know (or knew) someone that fought in WWII. I have several uncles that are veterans of that war; one was given a military funeral about 10 years ago. There aren't that many WWII veterans left.
What's surprising is that there still a small handful of WWI veterans left. I read a few days ago that one recently died (cannot find the news article), but apparently there is still at least a couple left. I find it stunning that there are survivors of a war that ended 91 years ago today.
It's also interesting to note that the Marine Corps was created 234 years ago today. What a strang coincidence...
Sometimes it feels like we are in the 11th hour here in America, with economic calamity on the brink, the environment teetering on the edge, and political lunacy becoming more rampant. We should all keep in mind that our veterans fought to keep our country together and we should honor their service by committing ourselves to do the same from the non-military side.
But first - take a moment today to remember those who've put their lives on the line in service to our country.
Thank-you veterans, young and old 
