The "Peace Symbol" is a combination of the semaphore signals "N" and "D", standing for nuclear disarmament.
The "peace symbol" has been associated with British nuclear disarmament groups since 1958 and was apparently invented by a member of one of these groups.
In the 1960's the peace symbol was used by people in the US who opposed the war in Vietnam. That is not quite the same as "denigrating our troops". In any case, even at at time the peace symbol came to have the much more general meaning of favoring peace.
Apparently some people see it as being a very politically-charged symbol. I was around in the 1960s and I see it as having about as much political charge as a smiley face. That appears to be the majority opinion about it now.
The "Peace Symbol" is a combination of the semaphore signals "N" and "D", standing for nuclear disarmament.