This Week in History! - November 11, 1918
International alliances, a Balkan entanglement, disintegrating empires and 20 million dead men. Such were the events and conditions that tore the world in two, ensuring it would never be the same again. The Imperial State of Germany and the Central Powers (mainly Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire) had been at war with the Third French Republic and the Entente (mainly the United Kingdom, the Russian Empire and later the United States) for four long years, and resources had been all but exhausted. Today in History - November 11, 1918 - the German Empire signed the Armistice of Compiègne, concluding the Great War and setting the stage for a peace treaty that would make or break the next century.
It is on this day that we remember the countless fallen of not only the First World War, but every conflict that has ever blighted the face of the world. Human death is unjustifiable, and Remembrance Day serves as a sombre reminder of our species’ past mistakes. If you so choose, please observe a moment of silence on behalf of those whose lives were lost.
This week, we bring to you a special Today in History - we will outline the events that led to the 1918 Armistice of Compiègne and the inception of Remembrance Day, and reflect on its meaning and legacy.
Leadup to November 11
Famines as a result of the British naval blockade and war fatigue led Germany to tear itself apart, as unrest reached new heights. Revolutions supporting all ends of the political spectrum erupted, leading to the abdication of the Kaiser and the eventual proclamation of the Weimar Republic.
With the Great War drawing to a close and the Central Powers losing all capability to resist the Allies, it was clear that the fighting had to stop. A delegation led by Matthias Erzberger - a German politician - was taken to French Marshal Ferdinand Foch’s private train close to Compiègne. When proceedings started, the Germans were shown the list of Allied demands and told to agree within 72 hours.
The Armistice
Many of the conditions of the Armistice were either unreasonable or outright impossible. The defeated party was in no position to refuse the terms, however, so they were only able to correct some of the more severe requirements.
The goals of each of the Allied powers didn’t necessarily align. Many French representatives wished to weaken Germany to the point that it could never threaten France again. On the other side of the spectrum, Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States, proposed a list of fourteen points that would establish a new world order based on the ideals of democracy and world peace. Other nations tended to fall between these two points of view.
In the end, the agreed-upon terms consisted of a combination of competing viewpoints. Notable (paraphrased) stipulations included:
Termination of hostilities on all fronts.
Evacuation of all occupied territories.
Release of all Allied prisoners of war.
Complete demilitarization.
Allied occupation of the Rhineland.
The annulment of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and the Treaty of Bucharest.
Surrender of equipment, including 5,000 artillery pieces, 25,000 machine guns, 1,700 aircraft, and more.
Surrender/disarmament/internment of any/all submarines and ships specified by Allied powers.
After doing what they could to lessen the harshness of the Armistice and lodging a formal complaint at its severity, the German delegation eventually signed. The agreement came into force at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918, bringing fighting to a stop. Although negotiations for an actual peace treaty continued until the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, the war was over at last.
Robert Casey, a soldier of the 124th Field Artillery Regiment, said: “And this is the end of it. In three hours the war will be over. It seems incredible even as I write it. I suppose I ought to be thrilled and cheering. Instead I am merely apathetic and incredulous … There is some cheering across the river—occasional bursts of it as the news is carried to the advanced lines. For the most part, though, we are in silence … With all is a feeling that it can’t be true. For months we have slept under the guns … We cannot comprehend the stillness”.
Celebration was uncommon as front lines were emptied, with numbness and grief permeating the atmosphere. The constant cacophony of bombardment ravaging Belgium and Northern France had gone silent, leaving only emptiness in its place.
Remembrance
Observed in Commonwealth countries on November 11th, Remembrance Day was first begun to honour those who fell in the line of duty. Initially occurring in 1919, it has been around for over a century. Other nations have similar dates of recollection, such as Veterans Day in the United States.
Traditionally, many Commonwealth states choose to practice a period of silence at 11:00 a.m. (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month), the same time when the Armistice took effect. Poppies are worn by many, owing in large part to Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s well-known poem, In Flanders Fields.
Remembrance Day serves as an opportunity for reflection and mourning, brought about by the end of the Great War but made to extend to all conflicts. At IRHS, it will be commemorated by the playing of The Last Post on Ridge TV, a bugle call frequently used at similar holidays or military funerals. Teachers may also choose to do related activities with their classes.
The ashes of World War I and the countless others that came after it set not long ago, and some fly still in the air. The suffering caused by wars and the leaders that cause them is unparalleled in history, and most who are affected by them never recover.
By remembering the dead and our past errors, we are better positioned to help the living and those in need.
Comments