How joyous everyone is!

At 5 a.m. on November 11, 1918, a German delegation signed an armistice agreement with the Allied Powers. The guns fell silent at 11 a.m. (Paris time), but during the intervening six hours there were nearly 11,000 casualties of which 2,700 were deaths.


The armistice terms contained the following major points:

• Termination of military hostilities within six hours of signature.
• Immediate removal of all German troops from France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Alsace-Lorraine.
• Subsequent removal of all German troops from territory on the west side of the Rhine plus 30 km radius bridgeheads of the right side of the Rhine at the cities of Mainz, Koblenz, and Cologne with ensuing occupation by Allied troops.
• Removal of all German troops at the eastern front to German territory as it was on 1 August 1914.
• Renunciation of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Russia and of the Treaty of Bucharest with Romania.
• Internment of the German fleet.
• Surrender of material: 5,000 cannons, 25,000 machine guns, 3,000 "Minenwerfers," 1,700 airplanes, 5,000 locomotive engines, and 150,000 railcars.

After four years, one of the bloodiest wars in human history was over.The total number of military and civilian casualties was more than 37 million. There were more than 16 million deaths and 20 million wounded.

The total number of deaths includes about 10 million military personnel and about 7 million civilians. The Allied Powers lost about 6 million soldiers while the Central Powers lost about 4 million. At least 2 million died from diseases and 6 million went missing, presumed dead.


Monday, November 11, 1918:

The Division is moving today and so are we. I reported back to our HQ. this A.M. and found them packing up. The lieutenant said to stay so we didn’t follow troops, thank goodness. We left about noon for Clefmont on the main road between Neufchâteau and Langres about 35 km south of Neufchâteau.

While we were en route the news that the armistice had been signed and all firing had ceased at 11 A.M. today was received and the towns were wild all the way down. Everybody was smiling. It’s hard to realize. I haven’t grasped the idea yet. How joyous everyone is!

When we reached Clefmont we went down to the school house and helped the kids ring the bell. We are the only soldiers in the town so we have things pretty much our own way. Our Frenchmen are busy making a hit with the French people around here. Luyx, Hap, Johnnie, Frase, Eric, Titchmer, Schmittie, McGuire and myself ate in town this evening. We had chicken, french-fried, omelet, bread and raspberry jam and champagne to celebrate the armistice. A merry party.