Here"s an article by writer Jake Simons in Great Britain Maybe this answers the question. Every year, I feel a mounting sense of awkwardness as Armistice Day approaches. It's fine when attending a ceremony, but there are occasions where I'm going about my business in a public place when 11am comes around. Standing to attention, in silence, seems like the right thing to do. But nobody else does it, so I end up feeling like a lemon - not an ideal emotion for these solemn two minutes. If the Israelis can commemorate their dead in such a unified and sombre fashion, why can't we do it in Britain? Can't we pause the flow of daily life for just two minutes of contemplation? Even the televisions do not have the dignity to fall silent.