letters with lauren fraser, author of, the washington. 's and catherine garrett, researcher at the papers of george washington project at the university of virginia. and at 8 pm eastern, on lectures in history, he'll still college professor richard campbell talks about american churches and religion during world war i. he shares of american pastors, ministers, and rabbis spoke about the great war before and after the u.s. entered the conflict. exploring the american story. watch american history tv, saturdays on c-span two. and find a full schedule on the program guide, or watch online anytime at c-span the org slash history. weekends on c-span two are an intellectual feast. every saturday, american history documents america story.

and on sundays, book tv brings you the latest in nonfiction books and authors. funding for c-span two comes from these television companies, and more, including comcast. >> you think this is just a community center? no. it's way more than that. comcast is partnering with 1000 community centers to create wi-fi enabled left so students from low income families can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. comcast, along with these television companies, supports c-span 2 as a public service. >> thank you for being here on the first commemoration of veterans day, here in this sacred place, designated to honor the sacrifices of 4.7 million men and women who served this nation in world war i. i would be remiss if i did not point out what this day is all about.

dr. george charles, a world war ii veteran 99 years young! [applause] come to commemorate this day. today, you will hear of the totaling of a bell 21 times, signifying the armistice at 11:11, and for causing all hostilities to end on the western front. then, you will hear taps. taps is played in commemoration of the centennial of the burial of world war i unknown soldier across town in arlington cemetery. he is only known to god. and finally, taps will be

played across america. by taps across america, at 11:11, to commemorate the centennial of that unknown soldier. and finally, i have the privilege today to introduce a man it, without him, this memorial would not exist today, who served with and lead with honor and compassion and integrity, the 17th chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, mcmullin. [applause] >> thank, you terry. and the better? still can't hear?

it's there a way to fix the volume? okay. i'll try to speak up so everyone can hear me. it is a great honor to be with you today. in particular, acknowledging george, your service, what terry didn't say is he was someone who went through and fought in the battle of the bulge, a very special american who has given back for decades to our country after his service in world war ii. thank, you. george. [applause] i want to say thanks to terry hamby. without his vision and without his persistence, this would not have been possible. and many of us who have not been involved in this, we're in early days, sometimes wondered whether it was any way. and there is nobody that

persisted and saw the vision and kept at it more strongly than terry. terry, we are all grateful for that. i know how important this is to queue. [applause] a few years ago, i had the honor of actually participating in a ceremony like this in europe. they had, at 11 11:11, since i day, a day of war ended, the great war and then, they had taken time on this day, months, day and our to remember, and obviously, our allies are apart of this as well. it really does warm my heart to be with you today to do this in our country. here, in our capital, and to recognize and remember those who sacrificed so much. we should remember, we lost

116,000 americans in that war. we went in very late, 18 months, and in my view, turns the tides. what we thought would be the last more, and sadly, that has not been the case. in these recent words, if there's one message i take away from every family, that idea with, that has lost someone. a mother or father or brother or sister, or a son or a daughter, the single message is, don't ever forget. please don't ever forget the sacrifice of my family member. and that is what today is all about. it is remembering those who served, those who were lost, terry said the 4.7 million who served in that timeframe, and our experience in raising this memorial it's a reminder of the conductivity's and family throughout our country, and those families living now back to those who served in that

timeframe. it's an extraordinary story in and of itself, because so many families that we don't know are connected to this memorial. it's been a real privilege. it is something that we will do every year, i'm sure. it is also a special day, as i'm sure most of you now, and terry mentioned this, because of the 100th centennial of the tomb of the unknown soldier. and that says a lot about us as a country. and our ability, our desire, and the privilege we have to remember those who have been lost. so, thank you to all of you for being out here. i have been asked to read a very special poem, written at the end of world war one. it is part of a very special

home written at the end of world war one. it is entitled, the young dead soldiers do not speak. by archibald mclean, who himself was a world war i veteran. nevertheless, they are heard in the still houses, who has not heard them? they have a silence that speaks for the night, and the clock counts. they say we were young, we have died, remember us. they say we have done what we could, but until it is finished, it is not done. they say we have given our lives, but until it is finished, no one can know what our lives gave. they say our deaths are not ours, they are yours. they will mean what you make them.

they say whether our lives and our deaths were for peace, and we hope for nothing we cannot say. it is you who must say it. they say we leave you are deaths, give them their meaning. give them an end to the war and a true peace. give them a victory that ends the war, and peace afterwards. give them meaning. we were young, they say. we have died. remember us.

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history tv, and sign up for our newsletter using the qr code on the screen. to receive the weekly schedule of upcoming programs, like lectures in history, the presidency, and more. sign up for the american history tv newsletter today and be sure to watch american history tv every saturday, or anytime, online at c-span.org slash history. american history tv, saturdays, on c-span two. exploring the people and events that tell the american story. at 12:30 pm eastern, on the presidency, revealing the life of martha washington, from her surviving personal letters with laura fraser, the author of the washington. 's and katherine garrett, research editor at the papers of george washington project at the university of virginia. and at 8 pm eastern, on lectures in history, he'll still college professor richard gamble talks about american churches and religion during world war i. he shares have american pastors,

ministers, and rabbis spoke about the greats war before and after the u.s. and the conflict. explore the american story. saturday's, on c-span two. find the full schedule in the program guide, or what online anytime, at c-span.org, slash history. weekends on c-span two are an intellectual feast. every saturday, american history tv documents america story, and on sundays, book tv brings you the latest in nonfiction books and authors. funding for c-span two comes from these television companies and more. including mitt co- ♪ ♪ ♪