The Armistice at Compiègne: Germany's Surrender in World War I
A Historic Moment
On November 11, 1918, the Armistice of Compiègne was signed, marking the end of World War I and the defeat of the German Empire. In a railroad car in the Forest of Compiègne, French Marshal Ferdinand Foch presented German plenipotentiaries with a 36-hour ultimatum to accept an armistice or face Allied invasion.The Final Days
In the days leading up to the armistice, the German army was in tatters. The Allied offensive had broken through German lines, and the German government knew that further resistance was futile. On November 9, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, and a new German government was formed to negotiate the surrender.The armistice terms were harsh. Germany was required to evacuate occupied territories, surrender its fleet, and pay reparations. The German government signed the armistice without protest, knowing that it was the only way to avoid a total collapse of the German state.
The Armistice of Compiègne was a major turning point in world history. It marked the end of the deadliest war in human history and the collapse of the German Empire. The armistice also paved the way for the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended the war and established the League of Nations.
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