Armistice

The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It went into effect at 11am on the 11th November 1918, and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender. The Germans were responding to the policies proposed by American President Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points. The actual terms, largely written by French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, included the cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of German troops to behind their own borders, the preservation of infrastructure, the exchange of prisoners, a promise of reparations, the disposition of German warships and submarines, and conditions for prolonging or terminating the armistice.

The actual formal state of war did not cease until the 28th June 1919 with the signing of Treaty of Versailles and the formation of the League of Nations. However, the United States of America did not ratify the Treaty until the 2nd July 1921, because they were not happy with the format of the League of Nations.