The First World War ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June of 1919. The fighting, however, ended several months earlier — with hostilities ending between the Allies and Germany on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. The picture above was taken at 10:58 AM on November Eleventh, 1918, two minutes before the cease-fire that effectively ended World War I went into effect.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 declared November 11th to be a day to remember the Armistice, saying: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” Continue reading