Which U.S. president signed the 1954 law renaming Armistice Day Veterans Day?

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the 1954 law that renamed Armistice Day Veterans Day.

Eisenhower had unusual personal and professional connections to the armed forces. He served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II and later became the 34th president of the United States. His administration supported expanding the holiday so it would recognize veterans of all American wars.

The change followed the experience of World War II and the Korean War. The earlier name, Armistice Day, centered on the 1918 ceasefire ending World War I. By 1954, the United States had millions of veterans from several conflicts, so Congress adopted a more inclusive title.

Eisenhower’s signature did not create the November 11 tradition from scratch. President Woodrow Wilson had promoted Armistice Day in 1919, and Congress had made it a legal holiday in 1938. The 1954 law changed the holiday’s meaning and official name while retaining its date.