In the United States, what time does Veterans Day traditionally commemorate the 1918 armistice?

The eleventh hour traditionally commemorates the 1918 armistice associated with Veterans Day in the United States.

The armistice agreement between the Allies and Germany specified that hostilities would cease at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918. This moment became closely linked with remembrance ceremonies, including periods of silence and public events held on or near Veterans Day.

The phrase “the eleventh hour” comes from the time itself: the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It is also used more broadly in English to mean the final possible moment, although that broader expression is not limited to military remembrance.

Veterans Day honors all U.S. military veterans, living or deceased, whereas the original Armistice Day commemorated the end of World War I. The time remains historically important even though modern Veterans Day ceremonies may take place at different hours.