Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day

Table of Contents

Memorial Day and Veterans Day are both national holidays that are mainly celebrated in the US.

They are both national holidays that are celebrated to pay tribute, remember, and honor those people who perform duties and services for the United States Armed Forces.

Both days are closely related to each other.

Memorial Day vs Veterans Day

The main difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day 2 is that Memorial Day is celebrated to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who have died while performing duties for the United States Armed Forces, whereas Veterans’ Day 2 is celebrated to remember and honor all the soldiers who have served the US Forces in their lifetime.

Memorial Day is acknowledged in the US every year as a national holiday on the last Monday of May. It is celebrated to honor, to pay respect, and to 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 honor 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 Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day

Parameters of ComparisonMemorial DayVeterans Day
Celebrated onMemorial Day is acknowledged on the last Monday of May every year.It is celebrated on November 11 every year.
Formerly called asat first, It was called Decoration DayIt was first called Armistice Day
Implemented onImplemented on May 5, 1866.Implemented on November 11, 1919.
Implemented byIt was implemented by President of that time Lyndon B Johnson.It was implemented by the President of that time Woodrow Wilson.
Type of occasionMemorial 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 honor and to 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, and institutions; schools are all closed on this day. The employees working in the private companies also get a holiday on this day.

What is Veterans Day?

Veterans Day is a holiday that is celebrated to honor, pay respect, and tribute to all those people who have served and who are still serving the US Military. In the beginning, this holiday was called Armistice Day.

After World War I, people started celebrating this holiday to honor and to pay tribute to all the veterans who had served the US Military at that time.

After World War II, the United States Congress amended the Act of 1938 by changing the word Armistice with Veterans. The United States Congress agreed on November 11 as the day to honor and to pay respect to all the 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 all closed on this day. The private companies sometimes give their employees a holiday on this day.

Main Differences Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day 

  • Memorial Day pay tribute to all those people who have died while serving their country, the US, while Veterans Day glory, honors, and respect to all those people who have served the US. 
  • Memorial Day was firstly called Decoration Day, while Veterans Day was earlier called Armistice Day.
  • Memorial Day is a solemn occasion 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 when compared to Memorial Day, but both of these national holidays have the same importance.
  • Memorial Day was declared by President Lyndon B Johnson, while Veterans Day was declared by President Woodrow Wilson.
  • Conclusion

    There is a slight difference between both of these national federal holidays that are celebrated in the US, from their meaning to the ways they are celebrated, but they are the special days to pay tribute, to pay homage, and respect to all those soldiers who have made limitless efforts to protect their country.

    Both Memorial Day and Veterans Day are celebrated every year to honor the soldiers who gave their service and their duty to their own country, and both of these days are of equal importance to the people in the United States.

    References

  • https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/music_programs/139/
  • https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15325024.2017.1382653
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