World War I ended with the Armistice of 11 November 1918, a temporary cessation
of hostilities between the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman
Empire, and Bulgaria) and the Allies (France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, and the
United States). The armistice was signed in a railway carriage at Compiègne Forest,
France, at 5:11 AM Paris time.
There were several factors that led to the end of World War I. One was the entry of
the United States into the war in 1917. The United States provided the Allies with a
much-needed influx of manpower and resources, which helped to turn the tide of the
war in their favor.
Another factor was the collapse of the Central Powers. By the end of 1918, all of the
Central Powers except Germany had surrendered. Germany was facing economic
collapse and revolution at home, and its military was on the verge of collapse.
On 29 September 1918, German General Erich Ludendorff informed the German
government that the war was lost and that an armistice should be sought. The
German government reluctantly agreed, and on 6 October 1918, it sent a note to
President Woodrow Wilson requesting an armistice.
Wilson initially refused to negotiate with the German government, demanding that the
Kaiser abdicate and that the German military be disarmed. However, as the German
situation continued to deteriorate, Wilson agreed to negotiate an armistice based on
his Fourteen Points, a set of principles for a just peace.
On 11 November 1918, at 5:11 AM Paris time, the Armistice of Compiègne was
signed. The armistice went into effect at 11:00 AM that day, and the guns on the
Western Front fell silent.
The Armistice of Compiègne did not officially end World War I. The war officially
ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919. However, the
armistice was a major milestone in the war, as it marked the end of the fighting and
the beginning of the peace process.
The following are some of the key events that led to the signing of the Armistice of
Compiègne:
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April 1917: The United States enters the war on the side of the Allies.
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March 1918: Russia signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany,
withdrawing from the war.
June-July 1918: The Allies launch a series of successful offensives on the
Western Front.
September 1918: Bulgaria surrenders to the Allies.
October 1918: The Ottoman Empire surrenders to the Allies. Austria-Hungary
collapses.
November 11, 1918: Germany signs the Armistice of Compiègne.
The Armistice of Compiègne was a momentous occasion. It marked the end of the
deadliest conflict in human history up to that point. It also paved the way for the Paris
Peace Conference, which would attempt to create a new and lasting peace in
Europe.