1919: Peace?

The Armistice on Nov. 11, 1918 ended fighting on the Western Front, but the war—nor its lasting effects—did not end even with the signing of the Treaty of Paris at Versailles on June 28, 1919.

Barometric Chart of War Atmosphere and Feelings

Honoria Constance Lawrence created this chart titled "A Weekly War Record of Feelings in England as experienced by a Civilian from Aug. 3rd 1914 to Nov. 11th 1918, constituting a Barometric Chart of...

War Brides of the Great War

The term ‘war brides’ originally referred to women who quickly married before their husbands left for military service.

Portrait of John Lewis Barkley

John Lewis Barkley was a U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipient of World War I, for his valiant action in fighting holding off two German attacks with a captured machine gun.

Lusitania Medals

On May 7, 1915, the passenger liner Lusitania was sunk by German submarine U-20 in British waters. Of the passengers, 1,198 drowned, including many women and children and 124 U.S. citizens.

Legacy of the Armistice

After 1918, Nov. 11 became a day of remembrance. Commemoration practices involved both celebration and somber remembrance with ceremonies often including parades, speeches and a moment of silence.

Nov. 11, 1918

On Nov. 11, 1918, after more than four years of horrific fighting and the loss of millions of lives, the guns on the Western Front fell silent.

President Wilson, reelected in November 1916 supporting policies of neutrality, goes before a special session of Congress and asks for a declaration of war.
Zimmermann delivers a speech to the Reichstag confirming the text of the telegram and putting an end to all speculation about its authenticity. By that time more U.S. ships had been torpedoed with...