>> world leaders gathering at the trail. the site of the french tune of the unknown soldier. later, they heard from french president emmanuel macron on the end of world war i. we will have that for you at 8:00 p.m. on american history tv on c-span3.

we take you to arlington national cemetery as veterans affair secretary robert wilkie will a a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldiers and take part in veterans day observances. the armistice entering -- ending world war i occurred on this on 1918 at 11:00 a.m.. >> ready, set. >> ready, front. >> ready, front.

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>>march, forward, march, march. >forward. -- >> forward. >> ♪ every mountain side let freedom ring ♪ freedomedom, let ring ♪ [applause]

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>> ladies and gentlemen, please --come mr. lawrence , and thel l howard united states army military district of washington. >> miss karen at regular, six -- executive director, arlington national cemetery.

♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the honorable robert l -- junior. secretary of veterans affairs. ♪

>> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for our nations colors and those of organizations. the united states marine band will play the national emblem march. over yource your hand heart and rendered -- or render a hand salute. ♪

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♪ ♪ you alone rule the destinies of nations. come this veterans day to

invoke your presence in this on this 100th anniversary of the ending of world war i. we realize it is only through your hand that our country has andined free by your gift dedication of your nation's veterans. thanks to -- thanks be to you oh lord for those whose lives paid for freedoms we now as a nation enjoy. we pray their examples influence daily actions in relation to respect to them but decisions relieving the peace for all people may your divine grace be upon those not to return home and upon your families, who guide and direct

an understanding of our duties to the country to one another. healing tond bring those suffering for visible and invisible war. you bless our nation's veterans and families and protect all for the uniform today. until your world is respected in peace and all war ceased. og dog, remove evil acts of violence from our land peerage you, bless america. -- land. god less america. our nation's veterans. keep us faithful to the end human dignity. in your name, we pray, amen.

>> now i would like to invite , nationalce remove commander, in our pledge of allegiance. >> place your hand over your heart, please. i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. thank you. please be seated. it is now my distinct privilege to inches members of the

veterans day international committee. this was formed by presidential order in 1950 four to plan this annual observance in honor of america's veterans in support veterans day observances throughout the nation. applause untilr i introduce these special guests. please stand when your name is called. lawrence, national commander. frank wall street -- frank. joe parker. president, blinded veterans association. schneider. judicial war bit -- -- jewish war veteran. national secretary, vietnam veterans of america. veteran wars of the united

states. robert washington senior, national president fully observed association. sidney mcmahon, national john a, executive director, non-commissioners office association. national commander, the american legion. douglas greenlaw, national commander, military order of the purple heart. wendell webb, national, done. executive director military chaplains association. flu, national president, paralyzed veterans of america.

george malone, senior vice commander, legion of valor of the usa john h hollywood, commander in chief, military order of the world wars. phillipos risky, national president and retired enlisted association. dennis nixon, national commander, disabled american veterans. atkins, president, military officers association. chair of united states public health service. for --, president air air force sergeants association. roberts one, national commander, polish legion of american veterans of the usa paul cunningham, national president, war veterans association.

the associated members of the veterans day national committee are located to the boxes to the left. i would like to ask the national commanders who comprise our membership to stand and be recognized. please join me in recognizing our veterans national leadership with your applause. [applause] it is now my pleasure to , executiveiss karen director army national military cemeteries and arlington national emissary. >> leader pelosi, secretary of defense matus, secretary of affairs, secretary of the air force wilson, major general hollered, families of the

fallen, visitors from across the world and all of you, good morning. welcome to arlington national cemetery. what a glorious day. we are in thethat center of hallowed ground. a special welcome to mr. larry of the american g.i. forum, for being today's veteran service national veterans day observance. today as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the world war i armistice in 1918, how fortunate we all are to gather together today to pay tribute to this amazing anniversary. --nvite you to visit sex section 70, 18, 19, or visit our welcome center where we memorialize world war i veterans and families laid to rest here at army -- arlington national cemetery. their stories tell the history of our country through sacrifice of our citizens.

that served our nation and this time of need and guaranteed our freedom and liberty. today, as for the past 154 years, our cemetery is honored to serve veterans and families in our nation's most sacred shrine. on behalf of myself, our superintendent, dedicated men and women who served here, my privilege to welcome you today. we are great people honoring service and sacrifice for our great nation. >> it is now my pleasure to inches our veteran service organization host for 2018. romo, national commander of the american g.i. of the united states.

28 years in the air force. he was later nominated by president obama as a united states service director. commander -- he was elected national commander in july of 2018. he leads a congressional veterans service organization and activist. please welcome him. >> my fellow veterans families, good morning and happy veterans day. it is truly indeed my honor and pleasure to represent the .merican g.i. forum our fallen brothers and sister

-- sister veterans. our retired veterans service organization, representing active duty military, families, veterans for advocacy and eat and civil rights, access to earn benefits, a care, and access to good education. today's the 100th anniversary of the end of world war i. the sacrifices of those veterans who fought in the war to end all wars. let is not forget the 400,000 men and women whose final resting place is here on these hollowed grounds. over 20ecognize the million veterans that live among us today. fact thatlect on the only 1% of the country serves in the military. freedom tomber the the great country enjoys.

we stand with you and we salute you. encourage each and everyone of you to continue to work together to ensure our military and veterans and military families are always taken care of and heard. each of you, active military, and officials, to work in a bipartisan manner -- manner, to be ethical and transparent and accountable. to be a positive example to oflate for the greater good the great nation, to be a global leader for democracy and peace. may god bless our military, veterans, military families, citizens, and the united states of america. it gives me great pleasure to introduce the 10th secretary of veteran affairs, the honorable robert wilkie. mr. wilkie was confirmed by united states senate on july 23,

2018. he was sworn in july 30 of 2018. after serving as the v.a. active secretary before coming to the v.a., the other secretary of defense for personnel and readiness. the principal advisor for executive secretary defense for management. he has over 20 years of and served james mattis. he served donald rumsfeld. -- forexecutive 6 -- five years, he was vice for strategic programs for one of the largest engineering firms in the world. an officer united air force

reserve and previously served as navy reserve. office of naval intelligence. thewilkie is recipient of public service medal, the noncareer board for that department. ladies and a mr. robert wilkie. -- ladies and gentlemen, mr. robert wilkie. [applause] wilkie: thank you, colonel. to my colleagues in the cabinet, to my friend, elizabeth will, leader pelosi, veterans on active andre retired status, it is my pleasure on behalf of the president of the united states to welcome you to arlington. the privilege in my life to see this from many

angles. of a combat soldier, an officer, and a leader in the pentagon. i have spent a lifetime watching those who have won the battle's, i have seen it through the eyes of my elementary school , whose fathers did not come back from vietnam. it may seem a little strange for someone with my background that i am constantly contemplating the meaning of service and what it means to be a veteran. i think general eisenhower had it about right. a few months after he was inaugurated, he gathered 40 korean war soldiers on the presidential yacht of williamsburg. some were horribly disfigured. others were missing limbs. eisenhower walked among them and asked them to stand at attention. those who could did. he said your country can never compensate you for what you have

given to your country. charge for me. you never put you uniform way. remind your fellow citizens why they sleep soundly at night. all-americansds that they sleep soundly at night because of the sacrifices of millions of ordinary men and women. today marks the 100th anniversary of the sadly named war to end all wars. on the 11th hour of the 11th day lived 11th month, men who emerged after four years of fighting and, for the fourth time, smelled the warm air of peace. 100 years ago, my great-grandfather left a small town law practice in the mississippi delta and the part-time law job, to join up

with the army assembly in georgia. across from him was an infantry outfit. on its rolls was a reluctant soldier from tennessee. he would go on to become the greatest american hero of the war. in another part of georgia was my wife's grandfather, a teenager, and in his short life, he had never ventured beyond two or three counties in tower cam -- south carolina. hethe time he was 18, marched up into the bloody cauldron of the new's argonne. william johnson was also there. members of the legendary 369th infantry regiment from new york. their regiment spent 191 days on the front line. more than any other american regimen. casualties,1500 more than any unit in the american force.

they're fighting was so ferocious that the kaiser himself gave the nickname the harlem health fighters. over 100 soldiers from 369 or awarded that air and no regimen received more recommendations and honors than it did. a soldier who was a barber in peace time volunteered as a messenger to deliver an important order to another unit. just as he reached his destination, he was killed in a hail of german fire. it died he found on his bloodstained blouse contained the passage "america must win the war. therefore, i will work and save and sacrifice, i will door -- endure, as if the whole struggle depended on me alone. a marine who had already earned

two medals of honor, decided at the age of 44 that the corps had not had enough of him. he volunteered for france and he pn three more combat medals he crawled out under heavy enemy fire and rescue to half dozen wounded marines who were pinned down. then he single-handedly captured 13 german soldiers. then he took out a heavily fortified german machine gun nest with nothing more than a handful of grenades and a colt 45. marinesafter, the became pinned under heavy german artillery fire. figure jumpedlone clutched hisorks, rifle, and charged. the men of the brigade saw the -- bravery, and it overwhelmed german physicians. of 1918,th of june colonel george marshall handed

him a telegram. now u.s. marine corps's entirely. the presidentear, of the french republic presented ,o president trump a sapling the white house grounds taken from -- a place renamed by a grateful ally. the wood of brigade of marines. finally, there was a less celebrated worrier. a nearsighted farmer from jackson county, missouri, who cheated and lied to get into the field artillery because he could not stand the thought of his friends and neighbors going to war and him not being there to support them. become one of to the greatest presidents in our history. so there they are. captain abrams, my great-grandfather. private,of new york, my wife's grandfather.

robinson, william johnson. private martin. daly, and captain harry s truman. to thee the testament ornament -- ordinary citizens who formed extrude married deeds in defense of this republic, from lexington to afghanistan. all told, more than 41 million americans men and women have served during times of war and almost 700,000 have given the last full measure. it,ou ask any why they did they would tell you it was the right thing to do. this day is for them. it is for those who have served in all the lonely outposts in the military, at home, distant lands, who left families and loved ones and who overcame challenges that many of us would find unimaginable.

when the towering figure of 20 -- ary american live sure literature except of the nobel prize in 1954 it, he was up sensible he speaking to novelists and journalists. but i believe he was speaking to the heart of the soldier that he longed to be during the great war. quote, aof, and i life's work spent in the exit -- agony and sweat of human spirit, not for glory, but to make out of the material of the human spirit something which was not there before. he must teach himself, that the basest of all things is to be afraid, and teaching himself that forever, leaving no room for anything but the old truths of the heart, the old universal truths lacking which any story is doomed. honor, pride and

and compassion, and sacrifice. until he real earns those things, he will write as though he stood and watched the end of man. what the soldier sees and a matter how terrible, it is heated food -- he who declined to except man, a soldier who endorse. i will leave you with the prayer of general matthew, who tossed restlessly in his cot on the as the of june 6, 1944, 82nd airborne division and the 101st airborne division prepared to launch liberation europe. a great man asked for the prayer that god gave to joshua. "i will not fail the, nor forsake the. in may 1986, as ronald reagan awarded general ridgway the presidential medal of freedom, he said of him, heroes, and they

are needed. great men step forward when courage seems in short supply. this days about great men and women. home we can never forsake. you, god bless all who have served this great republic. god continue to bless the united states of america. thank you all very much. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, these rise and join the united states banned in singing god bless america.

god bless america, land that i love stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above from the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam god bless america, my home sweet home god bless america, land that i love god bless america, my home sweet home ♪ [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as we retire the colors. >> retire the colors! ♪

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♪ >> this concludes the 2000 18 national veterans day observance. please be seated for the departure. thank you for joining us today as we celebrate and honor all who served. [applause] ♪

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>> today, president george w. bush and former first lady laura bush will be given the liberty metal at the national constitution center. former president -- vice president joe biden -- watch live here on c-span or at c-span.org. coming up this weekend, today at 1:00 p.m. eastern, the festival of books from nashville let elliott and his book the people see, the story of emmett till.

and bob smith on reagan, an american journey. new york times magazine chief talks about her book obama, with love, joy and anger. it was in greenwood south carolina, at a rally for obama in 2007. the rally was a bust. no one there but a small gathering of folks needing something to do. obama was looking out at the emptiness. fire it up, -- fired up, ready to go a woman with a gold tooth shouted. as if on cue, the people around her repeated her words, began to chant and in an instant, the rally went from dismal to glorious. it shows you what one voice can do. that one voice can change a room. obama said later, recounting the story. and if a voice can change a room, it can change a city.

>> then at 9:00 p.m., ben sasse from nebraska talks about his "them" and he is interviewed. >> i think political tribalism is filling the vacuum of the kind -- declining local tribes. family, friendship, meaningful work. worshiping communities. all those things are being undermined in technological history. -- underlined -- undermined by the point we are at in technological history. about theht presidents before i began the book. forgotten -- not that they were forgotten but there were -- they were significant in some way. >> tonight, michael gerhardt

talks about those go of his books, the forgotten presence and impeachment. clinton didhat bill --ot he knew members of congress were looking for them to make mistakes. which he was held in contempt by a judge for perjury. bill clinton made his impeachment almost inevitable. >> tonight at 8:00 eastern on c-span q&a. weekend,s veterans day welcome theed to secretary of the army, mark esper. joining us from the pentagon. marking his one-year anniversary soon in that role. he brings to it a wealth of experience, including service as a combat veteran himself.