Armistice of 1918
The signing of the armistice of the First World War (1914-1918), on November 11 at 5:15 a.m., marks the end of the fighting and the capitulation of Germany. The ceasefire is effective at 11 a.m., resulting in the whole country of volleys of bells and the ringing of bugles announcing the end of a war which will have left more than eight million dead and six million invalids. or mutilated. The German and Allied generals met in a converted restaurant car (*) belonging to General Foch, in the clearing of Rethondes, in the forest of Compiègne.
Timeline
Since the failure of the German battles in June and July 1918, the reinforcement of the American and English allies deprived Germany of all hope of victory. Furthermore, the workers' revolution in Berlin plunged the country into turmoil. During the month of October, the Germans and US President Wilson exchanged notes in which the latter was charged, in line with his fourteen points proposed in January in a resounding speech, to take charge of the restoration of peace. /P>
On October 3, 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II appointed a new Chancellor:Max of Baden. But that was not enough to control the country, many of whose sailors and soldiers refused to go into battle, especially in Kiel. On November 7, Major Paul von Hindenburg, Chief of the German General Staff, offered Foch a meeting.
Five cars crossed under escort the devastated zone of the north of France to go to the place of meeting hitherto kept secret. During the three days, the Germans had few opportunities to really negotiate. They quickly had to comply with the conditions developed in a text that was submitted to them. This text was last drawn up by Foch, as Supreme Allied Commander, after a month of diverging positions by Wilson, Clemenceau, Orlando and Lloyd George.
On November 9, the Prince of Baden advised the Kaiser to abdicate. He went into exile in Holland. This event was an important element of pressure vis-à-vis the German delegates gathered in the wagon of Compiègne. The next day, the new head of the German government, Friedrich Ebert, signed a pact with the leaders of his army and implored his representative in Rethondes to end the negotiations without delay.
On November 11, the armistice was signed, for a period of 36 days. Following this armistice, the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919.
Tributes
On November 11, 1920, the idea of paying homage to soldiers who had died for France but not been identified appeared. The mortal remains of a Verdun soldier were buried under the Arc de Triomphe.
It was only three years later that the flame was lit, which never goes out, giving the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a strong symbolic and political significance.
November 11 is a public holiday in France (remembrance day since the law of October 24, 1922), Belgium and Canada. In the United States and Commonwealth countries, his commemoration has been extended to all war veterans.
Participants
On the side of the allies, the military:
* General Ferdinand Foch, Supreme Allied Commander
* Admiral Rosslyn Wemyss, British Representative
* General Weygand, Chief of Staff of Foch
On the German side, the plenipotentiary representative was civilian, assisted by military advisers:
* Matthias Erzberger, representative of the German government
* Count Alfred von Oberndorff, representing the German Foreign Ministry
* General Detlof von Winterfeldt, German Army
* General von Gruennel, German Army
* Captain Ernst Vanselow, German Navy
The main clauses
* A) On the western front
o I) Cessation of hostilities, on land and in the air, six hours after the signing of the armistice.
o II) Immediate evacuation of the invaded countries:Belgium, France, Luxembourg, as well as Alsace-Lorraine, regulated so as to be carried out within a period of fifteen days from the signing of the armistice. [...]
o IV) Abandonment by the German armies of war material in good condition. [...]
o VI) In all territories evacuated by the enemy, any evacuation of the inhabitants will be prohibited; no damage or harm will be caused to the person or property of the inhabitants. No one will be prosecuted for the offense of participation in war measures prior to the signing of the armistice. There will be no destruction of any kind. [...]
o VII) [...] It will be delivered to the associated powers:5,000 mounted machines and 150,000 wagons in good working order [...] and 5,000 automobile trucks in good condition. [...]
* B) Arrangements for Germany's eastern borders.
o XII) All the German troops which are now in the territories which formed part before the war of Austria-Hungary, of Rumania, of Turkey, must return immediately to the frontiers of Germany as they were at the time of the war. August 1, 1914. All German troops now in the territories which were before the war part of Russia must likewise return to the frontiers of Germany defined as above, as soon as the Allies deem the time appropriate, account taking into account the internal situation of these territories. [...]
* C) In East Africa.
o XVII) Evacuation of all German forces operating in East Africa within a time limit set by the Allies. [...]
* F) Naval Clauses.
o XXII) Delivery to the Allies and the United States of all submarines. [...]
* G) Duration of the armistice.
o XXXIV) The duration of the armistice is fixed at thirty-six days, with the option of extension.
(*) The disused wagon is now a museum piece (see a photo of the wagon).