World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “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…”
Learn more.
Related News
- SMART-TD AND CSX CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF SUCCESS
- SMART Convention Day 1: DOT secretary headlines day one of SMART General Convention
- SMART-TD, FRA announce federal regulation requiring two-person freight crews
- N.Y. special election — a chance to support Tom Suozzi, who supports our members
- ERMA lifetime maximum benefit to increase in 2024
- Rail labor collectively urges representatives to oppose House THUD bill
- SMART News episode 10 features Local 19 member on Biden endorsement, coverage of railroad victories, GP Coleman’s visit to Tenn. megaproject and more
- Veto means Nevada governor picked politics over safety
- Members of GO-953 ratify historic tentative agreement with Union Pacific
- Watch: Local sheet metal unions win back pay for wage theft and worker misclassification