Documentary, The Great War Armistice WWI Documentary br br WWI Armistice br The Armistice of 11 November 1918 ended the fighting of the First World War, commonly known as the Great War, between the Allies and Germany. br Signed in a railway carriage in the Compiègne Forest, France, at 5 a.m. Central European Time (CET), the agreement came into effect at 11 a.m. CET on the same day, marking the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, at sea, and in the air. br This moment is commemorated annually on 11 November, known as Armistice Day, with a Two Minute Silence at 11 a.m. to honor those who died in the conflict. br br The armistice was the culmination of a decisive Allied offensive, known as the Hundred Days Offensive, which had driven German forces back from the territory they had gained over four years of war. br The military situation for Germany had deteriorated rapidly since the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, leading to the collapse of the German spring offensive and a loss of momentum. br Facing imminent invasion, the German government, under Chancellor Prince Maximilian of Baden, requested an armistice based on President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points. br However, the terms imposed by the Allies, largely dictated by French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, were severe and left no room for negotiation, including the evacuation of occupied territories, the surrender of military equipment, the release of prisoners of war, and the occupation of the Rhineland by Allied forces. br br Although the armistice ended active combat on the Western Front, it did not formally end the war. The agreement was initially set to last 36 days and was extended three times while peace negotiations continued. br The Treaty of Versailles, signed on 28 June 1919, officially ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers, taking effect on 10 January 1920. br The armistice is remembered as a pivotal moment of relief and celebration, though fighting continued elsewhere, and the war's full conclusion required years of diplomacy. br The event is also commemorated in the United States as a national holiday to honor those who served in the First World War.