by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: November 08, 2009

Remembrance Day is known by several other names, including Poppy Day, Armistice Day and Veterans Day. It is a day that commemorates and honors the sacrifices that members of the Armed Forces made during war time, but in particular, during World War I. In the United States and some other countries, it is celebrated on November 11 because the Armistice treaty that ended WWI was signed on November 11 in 1918.

Major hostilities formally ended on the Western Front when Germans signed the Armistice Treaty at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Remembrance Day is celebrated as the symbolic anniversary of the end of WWI. It is a day that remembers the Armistice agreement that was signed between all of the allied forces and Germany at Rethondes, France. Even though Remembrance Day is considered the official date for the end of the war, it really only reflects the cease fire that occurred on the Western Front, but hostilities continued elsewhere.

*How Remembrance Day is commemorated -

Nearly 20 million people died during World War I. Those people who died were citizens of all of the countries that were involved in the war. In many parts of the world, Remembrance Day is customarily observed with a period of two minutes of silence at exactly 11 a.m.

*The tombs of the unknown soldiers -

Unknown soldiers who died in WWI were buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in London and in Paris in 1920 and 1921. These tombs are heavily guarded 24 hours a day, and wreaths of poppies are laid at these tombs.

*During World War II -

Starting in 1939, the two minute period of silence was moved to the Sunday closest to November 11. This was done so that the observation wouldn't conflict or interfere with wartime production, especially when and if November 11 fell on a weekday.

*Observation in the Commonwealth countries -

In the Commonwealth countries, there is a Service of Remembrance that includes the sounding of the Last Post. After that, there is a two minute period of silence which is followed by the playing of Reveille. The service typically ends with the reading of the Ode to Remembrance.

Flowers of the Forest, O Valiant Hearts and the hymns I Vow to Thee My Country and Jerusalem are played during the course of the service. During the services, a wreath is laid, a blessing is given and the national anthem is sung. For Anglicans and Catholics, Remembrance Day coincides with the feast of St. Martin of Tours. St. Martin was known for putting

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