Memorial Day and Veterans Day are national holidays mainly celebrated in the US.
They are national holidays celebrated to pay tribute, remember, and honour those who perform duties and services for the United States Armed Forces.
Both days are closely related to each other.
Key Takeaways
- Memorial Day honours fallen military service members, while Veterans Day celebrates all veterans, living or deceased.
- Memorial Day is on the last Monday in May, while Veterans Day is on November 11th.
- Memorial Day has a sombre tone focused on remembrance, while Veterans Day is more celebratory, honouring veterans’ service and sacrifice.
Memorial Day vs Veterans Day
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May and is dedicated to remembering and honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Veterans Day is observed on November 11th and is a day to honor all those who have served in the U.S. military, both living and deceased.
Memorial Day is acknowledged in the US every year as a national holiday on the last Monday of May. It is celebrated to honour, pay respect, and remember all the brave soldiers who have died while serving the US Military Forces. In the beginning, it was called Decoration Day. It is a national federal holiday celebrated annually.
Veterans Day is celebrated in the US on the 11th of November. It is celebrated to pay respect and honour to all the soldiers who have served the US Armed Forces. At first, this holiday was called Armistice Day. It is a national federal holiday celebrated annually.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Memorial Day | Veterans Day |
|---|---|---|
| Celebrated on | Memorial Day is acknowledged on the last Monday of May every year. | It is celebrated on November 11 every year. |
| Formerly called as | at first, It was called Decoration Day | It was first called Armistice Day |
| Implemented on | Implemented on May 5, 1866. | Implemented on November 11, 1919. |
| Implemented by | It was implemented by President of that time Lyndon B Johnson. | It was implemented by the President of that time Woodrow Wilson. |
| Type of occasion | Memorial Day is an occasion that is solemnly celebrated to pay tribute and respect to all those who have died. | Veterans Day is an occasion to appreciate all those people who have and who are serving the US military services. |
What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is a national holiday celebrated and acknowledged in the US to honour and pay tribute to all the soldiers who died in war for their country. On May 5, 1868, Memorial Day was established.
It emerged after the American Civil War to pay tribute and homage to the soldiers who had died during the war.
The Grand Army of the Republic established this federal national holiday, and Major General John A. Logan announced that the holiday should be on May 30 for decorating the graves of the soldiers who died in the war with flowers.
The Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 1868, was the first place where such a solemn memorial event happened in the presence of President Lyndon B Johnson.
Memorial Day was formerly called Decoration Day and is acknowledged every year as the last Monday of May.
Memorial Day is a tribute that is solemnly given to all the soldiers who died during the war. To celebrate this day, the US flag is raised quickly to the upper-most part of the staff and then lowered to the half-staff position. Here, the flag remains until noon, and then it is raised to the full-staff position for the remainder of the day.
Each year on November 11, a moment of remembrance takes place at 1500 hours local time. The graves of the fallen people are decorated with flowers.
Government offices, agencies, institutions, and schools are all closed today. The employees working in private companies also get a holiday on this day.
What is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day is a holiday celebrated to honour, pay respect, and tribute to all those who have served and are still serving in the US Military. In the beginning, this holiday was called Armistice Day.
After World War I, people started celebrating this holiday to honour and pay tribute to all the veterans who had served in the US Military at that time.
After World War II, the United States Congress amended the Act of 1938 by changing the word Armistice to Veterans. The United States Congress agreed on November 11 as the day to honour and pay respect to all American veterans.
It was declared on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson. Veterans Day is celebrated in the US on the 11th of November every year.
Government offices, agencies, institutions, and schools are closed today. Private companies sometimes give their employees a holiday on this day.
Main Differences Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day
- Memorial Day pays tribute to all those who have died while serving their country, the US, while Veterans Day glorifies, honour, and respects all those who have served the US.
- Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day, while Veterans Day was earlier called Armistice Day.
- Memorial Day is a solemn occasion for remembrance of all the fallen soldiers of the US Military Forces, while Veterans Day is an appreciation occasion celebrated with activities like parades, picnics, and sporting events.
- Veterans Day is a new national holiday compared to Memorial Day, but both national holidays have the same importance.
- Memorial Day was declared by President Lyndon B Johnson, while President Woodrow Wilson declared Veterans Day.
- https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/music_programs/139/
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15325024.2017.1382653
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