History That Doesn't Suck

146: The Armistice of November 11, 1918

Nov 6, 2023

As World War I nears its end, the German delegation seeks an armistice with the Allied Powers. The negotiations are tough, with General Foch presenting difficult terms. The clock strikes 11 on November 11, 1918, and the guns fall silent. The episode explores the frustrations of sailors leading to mutiny, the start of the German Revolution, Woodrow Wilson's 14 points, and the heated negotiations for the armistice.

01:07:47

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Quick takeaways

The armistice agreement was signed on November 11, 1918, officially ending the war and bringing immense relief and uncertainty to soldiers and civilians alike.

The Germans reluctantly accepted the conditions set by the Allied Powers during the negotiations for the armistice, signaling their realization that they could not continue the war.

Despite the ceasefire, fighting continued until the last minute, with Henry Gunther becoming the last casualty of the war just one minute before the armistice took effect.

Deep dives

The Armistice Agreement

The armistice agreement is signed, officially ending the war at 11 am on November 11, 1918. German and Allied delegates negotiate the terms, with the Germans reluctantly accepting the conditions set by the Allies.

Introduction

5min

The Start of the German Revolution

2min

The Armistice and Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points

9min

Negotiating the Armistice

9min

Negotiating Armistice Conditions

4min

The Final Days of October 1918: Offensives, Resignation, and Retreat

3min

Negotiations for the Armistice

32min

Acknowledgments and Credits

2min

“The German delegation has come to receive the proposals of the Allied Powers looking to an armistice.”

This is the story of guns falling silent across war-ravaged fronts–the story of the Great War’s armistice between Germany and the Allied Powers.

Sailors are mutinying. Soldiers are breaking. A revolution–possibly a Bolshevist revolution–is knocking on the Second Reich’s door. German leaders are coming to accept a painful reality: they can’t carry on this war. They look to the merciful words of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points as they seek an armistice.

But as the German delegation sits down with Allied Supreme Commander Ferdinand Foch in his ornate train carriage at a secluded location within the Compiègne Forest, they find the hardened General is not there to negotiate. He presents a difficult pill to swallow. With little alternative, the German delegation moves forward. The fighting will come to a stop when the clock strikes 11 on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

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History That Doesn't Suck

146: The Armistice of November 11, 1918

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Armistice Agreement

The Last Moments of the War

Reflecting on the Losses

Emotions and Reactions

The Journey to Peace

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts