1
Special Topic:Gender Roles in Wartime and Peacetime
1840:485/585:802
Spring Semester 2008
Paula Maggio
Assistant Lecturer
Women’s Studies Program
The University of Akron
Akron, Ohio
World War I: The End
1. The Armistice
 Armistice means a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to peace negotiations
 Generally referred to in context of the agreement between the Germans and the Allies to
end the war on November 11, 1918.
 It was not the only armistice of the war. The battle on the Eastern Front and Romania’s
war ended in December 1917.
 Bulgaria ended its war Sept. 30, 1917.
 Turkey ended Oct 30 & Austria-Hungary ended Nov. 3, 1918
 Germans began negotiations Oct. 4, 1918, keen to conclude a peace based upon Wilson's
famous Fourteen Points.
 However, US allies, never particularly keen on the Fourteen Points, raised immediate
objections. Britain, led by Lloyd George, opposed a ban on a policy of blockades; France
was intent on imposing reparations upon the 'beaten' foe.
 Wilson compromised by accepting both objections whilst threatening to negotiate a
separate peace on behalf of the U.S. if Britain and France continued with their objections.
His ploy successful, details of a proposed settlement were sent to Germany on 5
November by the Supreme War Council.
 A major potential stumbling block to peace was Wilson's insistence upon the abdication
of the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II. This was overcome. Wilhelm's abdication was
reluctantly announced to the public on 9 November 1918 (subsequently made official by
the Kaiser's abdication proclamation on 28 November).
 The armistice was formally signed in Foch's railway carriage on 11 November (in 1940
Hitler exacted revenge by forcing the French to sign an armistice - on German terms - in
the same railway carriage).
 Discussions were dominated by France, UK and US, along with Italy: Big Four
 The process was an important step toward statehood for the British Dominions, who
demanded and got independent representation.
2
2. Ramifications for Germany
 Germany had to accept full responsibility for the outbreak of the war. This mean
Germany had to make reparations payments.
 The terms of the armistice required the Germans to evacuate German-occupied territories
on the Western Front within two weeks. Allied forces – mainly French -- were to occupy
the left bank of the Rhine within a month, and a neutral zone established on the right
bank to ensure payment of reparations.
 Germany lost 13% of its territory, which had produced 75% of the country’s output in
iron ore, 30% of steel, and 28% of coal.
 Notably, all German-occupied territories elsewhere were to be abandoned; and the
treaties already negotiated with Russia and Romania were officially annulled.
 In terms of military equipment, under the terms of the armistice, Germany was limited to
100K professional soldiers and heavy artillery and an air force were outlawed. The
majority of Germany's surface naval fleet was interned; the remainder were disbanded.
The Germans lost 5,000 artillery pieces, 30,000 machine guns, 3,000 minenwerfer, 2,000
aircraft, 5,000 locomotives, 150,000 railway wagons, 5,000 trucks and its entire
submarine fleet.
3. Overall Ramifications
 The terms of the armistice were inevitably seen as punitive within Germany. The country
however was in no condition to resume hostilities and so reluctantly accepted the
conditions. The French nevertheless viewed the terms of the armistice - and the
Versailles peace treaty that followed in 1919 - as overly lenient, indicating the widely
contrasting views of both the armistice and the subsequent treaty.
 Problems with the treaty: It was too weak and too strong. It made Germany resentful,
which led to treaty revision the dominant and destabilizing theme of German politics
until the rise of Hitler. However, it left Germany with enough potential to re-emerge as a
significant great power, unlike Austria and Hungary.
 The financial cost of the war is said to have amounted to almost $38 billion for Germany
alone; Britain spent $35 billion, France $24 billion, Russia $22 billion, USA $22 billion
and Austria-Hungary $20 billion. In total the war cost the Allies around $125 billion; the
Central Powers $60 billion.
 Produced the worst of all worlds. Nationalistic conflicts left unresolved. Sometimes
worsened. Defeated countries, barely consulted, harbored immense grievances. League of
Nations weakened by US refusal to enter, due to isolationist Congress.
 Instabilities that resulted are seen as direct cause of WWII. Along with economic crises
1918-23 and during Great Depression that made Europe volatile and gave nationalistic
movements strength.
4. U.S. Reaction
 Wilson wanted a “just peace.” This clashed with France’s idea to punish Germany so
severely it could never start another. Britain was in between the two extremes, but had no
alternative vision.
 Shortly after the armistice was agreed upon, President Wilson announced details to
Congress, and further celebrated the agreement in a Thanksgiving Address at the close of
the month.
3

US Senate failed to ratify the treaty. Separate peace concluded between US & Germany
in 1921.