The Eleventh Hour is a phrase meaning at the last moment, taken from a passage in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in the King James Bible, Matthew 20:1-16. In that story the owner of a vineyard goes out and hires workers early in the morning and then two more times a little later in the day and then finally at the eleventh hour when the workers would only have time to work one hour. All the workers received the same pay which the early hires resented. Even those who come to the faith at a later time still receive the full blessings of belief. So saying something happens in the eleventh hour means it happens at the last moment, the last chance.
I’m not sure if that figured into why the combatants in World War I chose the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month or not. But that is when hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany, armistice, ended the war even though the Treaty of Versailles wasn’t signed until June 28, 1919. So “the war to end all wars,” or so people thought at the time, ended at that eleventh hour.
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”
Originally the day was celebrated with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of regular business at 11 a.m. People at the time thought there would never be another war such as WW I. They thought that was the war that would end all wars. What a wonderful hope that was and how wonderful it would have been had it turned out to be so. But it didn’t.
On May 12, 1938, an act of Congress made the 11th of November a legal holiday – a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” But as we all know, not many years later war broke out again. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle. So, in 1954, the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938 and changed the word “Armistice” to “Veterans” to honor the veterans of all wars and President Eisenhower signed the bill to make the change.
When in 1968, the Uniform Holiday Bill was signed to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day, many states didn’t go along with this idea and continued to celebrate the holidays on the original days. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed on October 25, 1971, but many Americans resisted this change and wanted the commemoration of this day to remain on November 11th. President Ford signed the law in 1975 to return the observance of Veterans Day to November 11th beginning in 1978. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day on the eleventh day of the eleventh month preserves the historical importance of the date and remains a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and willingness to serve our country.
The picture up top is the troop my grandfather was part on in World War I. He’s the man with the x over his head. He died when I was very young, partly from the kind of lung problems that affected many WW I veterans who had breathed the poison gas used in the war. He was a cook in the army and served overseas in France. He came home to open a blacksmith shop and then saw cars take over for horses that put him out of business. I based some of Victor’s character in my Rosey Corner books on the stories my mother shared with me about her father. He loved books and reading. He was actually in an early book club and got little red books each month. He wasn’t perfect but who among us is? But he did serve his country when he was called upon and brought home the name of a Russian princess, Olga, to name my mother. Then he always called her Jane. I’m not sure my mother ever told me why.
I hope you took a few minutes today to think about the many men and women who have sacrificed much to serve our country.
Do you have veterans in your family?
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Yes, My Dad, Wm. F. Warinner, served in WWII in Belgium on the European front. He wasn’t in direct combat, but was in Transportation/Supply and rode some with the red eye express supplying gasoline, etc. to tanks in Gen. Patton’s line. He often spoke of the Battle of the Bulge.
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Many of the veterans of WW II didn’t talk much about the war. When they came home they wanted to get on with life and leave behind some awful memories. But then in their later years they did begin sharing stories and esperiences and remembering the men they fought with. Sounds as if your father was one of those men, Carolyn, who although he wasn’t in direct combat, he was certainly close enough to face plenty of danger. We can all be grateful to the men who stepped up to serve in WW II.
Father in law rotated out just before the start of Vietnam.
My step father was in WW2 and Korea, his brother was shot down in WW2. Grandfather in WW2.
Step father was given a battlefield commission (to an officer). We weren’t close, so I don’t know any of the details.
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You have a family of men with records of serving their country when the need was great, Tina. Thanks for sharing.
My husband served in the US Marine Corps, as did both of my sons and a grandson. My maternal grandfather (long deceased) served in WWI. My son-in-law served in the US Navy.
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Your family is to be commended for the service to our country, Lynda. It means so much when men and women are willing to step up to serve. And families of servicemen and women make many sacrifices too. My father was exempted from service in WW II due to being a farmer. Famers were needed to keep the food line going.
Thank you for your words and the picture which included your grandfather.
I enjoy seeing old pictures, especially when there is information to go along with the picture.
My husband of 57 years is an Army veteran, and my Dad was killed in WWII in France when I was three weeks old and my brother was 18 months old.
Looking forward to your next book! Have enjoyed all the previous ones.
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So sorry you lost your dad before you could know him or he could know you, Nancy. Your mother had a hard road in front of her as a WW II widow with two such young children. There were so many men lost. So many families who lost someone to the war.
Glad you liked my grandfather’s picture. I think it shows some of his personality the way he’s standing and the way he’s wearing his hat.
Thank your husband for his service to our country.
Hi Ann. Thank you for the story, and picture of your grandfather. I seriously didn’t know the connection with Veterans Day to the Biblical parable that you shared here. I found it to be inspirational. My dad was an Army combat soldier in WWII. He also served as an Army Ranger. I proud of his service, and all of our soldiers both past and present. They all serve in so many roles and capacities that are all needed to maintain peace and security.
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Our country wouldn’t have survived these 200 plus years without the selfless service of patriotic men and women, Carrie.
I don’t know that the armistice had any thought of the Bible story, but I had always heard people say something was in the eleventh hour. I had never connected that to the Bible story either.
I am glad they continue to have Veterans Day on November 11th instead of making it one of the Monday holidays. The date means something.
Thank you for the history lesson about the dates involved in the changing of Armistice Day to Veterans’ Day. I have a grandfather who was in WWI in the band and an uncle who was in WWII. My family consisted of all daughters, and we were born during and after WWII; however, none of us was in any of the armed services for later wars.
We used to have 3 WWII veterans in our church family; however, each of them has “graduated”. I certainly do appreciate their service to our country.
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We have several veterans in our church now, Suzanne. No more WW II veterans as like yours, those men have graduated to heaven. We have had several Vietnam War veterans. They fought in a tough war and I’m glad that many of them are finally getting proper recognition for their bravery.
It matters to our country that men and women are willing to volunteer to serve as many are doing now.