Memorial Day 2023: Remembrance Day, commonly known as Decoration Day, is a federal holiday celebrated annually in the United States. A day of recognition and mourning for the victims of fallen US service members. It is usually celebrated on the last Monday of May, which this year falls on May 29.
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Memorial Day 2023: History
During the war, women took the lead in developing an increasingly formal tradition of decorating graves. On May 5, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, the leader of the Great Army of the Republic (GAR), a group of Confederate veterans, established Decoration Day as a day to decorate homes nation’s grave. fallen warriors with flowers. Major General John A. Logan chose that date as May 30.
As reported by the History Channel, “30. May 1868 is designated for the purpose of spreading flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died defending their country during the late uprising, and their bodies are now located in most of the country. town, village and rural cemeteries throughout the country”.
The states officially recognized the day as a holiday in 1873, starting with New York. All the states in the Union then adopted it in 1890. However, Congress moved the holiday to the last Monday of May 1971, standardizing it as ‘Remembrance Day’.
Memorial Day 2023: Meaning
On Memorial Day, many people visit graves and memorials to remember and honor those who lost their lives while serving in the United States military. At national cemeteries, many volunteers plant American flags on the graves of service members. Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial start of summer.
Memorial Day Tradition
Memorial Day parades are held in towns and cities across the country and include members of the armed forces and veterans groups. Chicago, New York and Washington, DC hold some of the biggest parades.
Some general customs, as opposed to specific events leading up to the national proclamation, include placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. In the United States, both before and during the American Civil War, the graves of soldiers were decorated. At national cemeteries, many volunteers plant American flags on the graves of service members.
Visits to cemeteries and memorials are another way for Americans to celebrate Memorial Day. A tradition that began with a World War I song was to wear scarlet poppies to honor those who died in battle.
Interesting facts about Memorial Day 2023
- General John A. Logan decided to hold the celebration in May because it was the season for flowers to bloom.
- Arlington Cemetery, a military cemetery, is the size of 472 football fields or 624 acres and has almost 400,000 graves!
- The first Memorial Day celebrations were held at Arlington National Cemetery in 1868. President James A. Garfield delivered a two-hour speech about the significance of Memorial Day in front of more than 5,000 attendees.
- The custom of decorating silk poppies in honor of fallen soldiers was inspired by the World War I song “In the Field of Flanders”.
- The national flag is flown at half-staff from early morning until noon on Memorial Day to honor fallen soldiers. In the evening, it rises to its full height to symbolize the hope of surviving death.
- According to reports, as many as 38 million people cross the border to pay their respects to fallen soldiers.
Memorial Day is considered one of the civic activities with the participation of the community. Flying flags over military graves means a lot to members of our community who have military families. A day that values affection and enthusiasm to sacrifice one’s life for the country.
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Source: vcmp.edu.vn