While I have nothing against veterans, and believe they deserve respect and gratitude, the day used to be called armistice day and celebrated the day we defeated the nazis. Now, at the time, we were still at war with the Japanese, but for many, many people peace broke out at the time. It was an end to fighting for them, and those who had survived knew they would likely continue to do so for awhile. In my opinion, an end to ANY war, particularly a world war like that, deserves a celebration. At the time people thought of World ar 2 (just like an earlier generation had thought of world war 1) as the last war. Obviously this was not to be. However, I feel that at least one holiday to celebrate the end of wars is entirely appropriate. Far more of a joyous event, and so deserving of celebration (as opposed to, say, commemoration), then veterans.
In the US people tend to be very gung ho about starting wars, often feeling they are righteous and necessary for various reasons. The cost of wars, in killed, injured, maimed, and even dollars, is almost never worth the benefit, aside perhaps, for a lucky few at the top who either profit by selling weaponry/vehicles and the like, or who get reelected because the people become distracted from domestic woes. The ending of wars, however, is almost always an unalloyed good for all sides. So I wish we still called the holiday armistice day.