Moments of Gratitude

On Veterans’ Day, we remember the perils of WW1 that led to the commemoration of heroes. 

Thomas Woodrow Wilson (Virginia 1979, Johns Hopskins 1883) was a distinguished leader his entire life. He served as chapter President for two different chapters, and as an official delegate to the 1880 Grand Arch Council, amongst his more well-known professional, academic and political achievements.

Wilson, in his second term of Presidency during World War I, always sought to bring peace and unity to the deep divide of nations.  And for this peace Wilson had a clear plan; his ideas for the negotiation of peace were outlined in his famous speech, Fourteen Points. Included in this proposal was the formation of the League of Nations, a precursor to the United Nations. While the League of Nations and many of the Fourteen Points were never ratified by Congress, President Wilson’s efforts contributed to the end of WW1 with the signing of the Armistice Agreement on November 11, 1918. We commemorate this date each year out of respect and gratitude for our veterans.

“At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 an Armistice Agreement was made that created a cessation of hostilities in what was described as ‘The War to End all Wars’. It was the following year in 1919 that the first Armistice/Remembrance Day commemorations were recognized at the White House by President Wilson, and at Buckingham Palace by King George V.”

Since that day in 1918 wars continue to plague our nations, and soldiers continue to give their lives in the name of freedom and justice. In 1954, President Eisenhower modified the Armistice Day Remembrance originally marked by Pres. Wilson, by declaring that November 11 be a day to honor all veterans, of all organizations, regardless of the conflict they served.

Today, and every day, but especially today, we take the time to say thank you to all those who have served or are serving to protect this nation.