TERMS OF THE ARMISTICE
On the memorable afternoon of Monday, November 11, 1918. President
Wilson convened the Senate and the House of Representatives in the
capitol at Washington, and there read out the terms of the armistice
which Germany had accepted, and to the observance of which Germany was
pledged with guaranties so strict that evasion was made impossible. The
President is an unemotional man, but in that hour he must have felt deep
satisfaction in the fact that the document in his hand had been made
possible by the will and the action of the great nation whose chief
magistrate he was, and is--the nation that with generous hand and prompt
compliance had backed him at every step of the difficult road to triumph
over the dark forces of evil that had plagued the whole earth and
imperilled the very life of civilization.
His audience (the legislative arm of our government and the co-ordinate
judiciary arm as represented by Justices of the Supreme Court; the
members of the President's cabinet, the diplomatic corps; and high
officers of the army and navy) was less repressed. As the strongest
points were reached, all present joined in mighty applause.
THE NATION LISTENS AND APPLAUDS
The whole country was listening, for while the President's voice was
being heard in that place, the wires were carrying the words to every
city and hamlet in all the broad land.
The armistice had been signed by the German envoys in the very last
hour of the seventy-two that Marshal Foch had granted them. Long before
daylight, the news came by cable, the sirens and factory whistles were
thrown wide open, and the whole population of the United States, men,
women and children, roused out of bed, swarmed the streets and highways,
and gave themselves over to such a jubilation as no country ever before
had seen--nor any previous day in the story of the human race had called
for. It is not to be forgotten; for by reason of the magnificent and
final victory of right over might, another such day need never dawn.
PRESIDENT MAKES ARMISTICE PUBLIC
President Wilson in making public the armistice terms addressed the
governing bodies of our country as follows:
"Gentlemen of the Congress: In these anxious times of rapid and
stupendous change it will in some degree lighten my sense of
responsibility to perform in person the duty of communicating to you
some of the larger circumstances of the situation with which it is
necessary to deal.
"The German authorities who have, at the invitation of the supreme war
council, been in communication with Marshal Foch, have accepted and
signed the terms of armistice which he was authorized and instructed to
communicate to them.
TERMS OF THE ARMISTICE
One--Cessation of operations by land and in the air six hours after the
signature of the armistice.
Two--Immediate evacuation of invaded countries; Belgium, France,
Alsace-Lorraine, Luxemburg, so ordered as to be completed within fifteen
days from the signature of the armistice. German troops which have not
left the above mentioned territories within the period fixed will become
prisoners of war. Occupation by the allied and United States forces
jointly will keep pace with evacuation in these areas. All movements of
evacuation and occupation will be regulated in accordance with a note
annexed to the stated terms.
Three--Repatriation, beginning at once and to be completed within
fifteen days, of all inhabitants of the countries above mentioned,
including hostages and persons under trial or convicted.
MUST SURRENDER MILITARY SUPPLIES
Four--Surrender in good condition by the German armies of the following
equipment: Five thousand guns (2,500 heavy, 2,500 field), 25,000 machine
guns, 3,000 minenwerfer (mine throwers), 1,700 aeroplanes (fighters,
bombers, firstly D-73 Js and night bombing machines). The above to
be delivered in situ to the allies and the United States troops in
accordance with the detailed conditions laid down in the annexed note.
Five--Evacuation by the German armies of the countries on the left bank
of the Rhine. These countries on the left bank of the Rhine shall be
administered by the local troops of occupation under the control of the
allied and United States armies of occupation. The occupation of these
territories will be carried out by allied and United States garrisons
holding the principal crossings of the Rhine--Mayence, Coblenz,
Cologne--together with bridgeheads at these points in thirty kilometer
radius on the right bank and by garrisons similarly holding the
strategic points of the regions. A neutral zone shall be reserved on the
right of the Rhine between the stream and a line drawn parallel to
it, forty kilometers to the east from the frontier of Holland to the
parallel of Gernsheim and as far as practicable a distance of thirty
kilometers from the east of the stream from this parallel upon the Swiss
frontier. Evacuation by the enemy of the Rhine lands shall be so ordered
as to be completed within a further period of eleven days, in all
nineteen days after the signature of the armistice. All movements of
evacuation and occupation will be regulated according to the note
annexed.
Six--In all territory evacuated by the enemy there shall be no
evacuation of inhabitants; no damage or harm shall be done to the
persons or property of the inhabitants; no person shall be prosecuted
for participation in war measures prior to the signing of this
armistice. No destruction of any kind to be committed. Military
establishments of all kinds shall be delivered intact, as well as
military stores of food, munitions, equipment not removed during the
periods fixed for evacuation. Stores of food of all kinds for the
civil population, cattle, etc., shall be left in situ. Industrial
establishments shall not be impaired in any way and their personnel
shall not be moved. Roads and means of communication of every kind,
railroad, waterways, main roads, bridges, telegraphs, telephones, shall
be in no manner impaired.
Seven--All civil and military personnel at present employed on them
shall remain. Five thousand locomotives, 150,000 wagons and 5,000 motor
lorries in good working order, with all necessary spare parts and
fittings, shall be delivered to the associated powers within the period
fixed for the evacuation of Belgium and Luxemburg. The railways of
Alsace-Lorraine shall be handed over within the same period, together
with all pre-war personnel and material. Further material necessary for
the working of railways in the country on the left bank of the Rhine
shall be left in situ. All stores of coal and material for upkeep of
permanent ways, signals and repair shops left entire in situ and kept in
an efficient state by Germany during the whole period of armistice. All
barges taken from the allies shall be restored to them. A note appended
regulates the details of these measures.
MUST REVEAL ALL MINES
Eight--The German command shall be responsible for revealing within
forty-eight hours all mines or delay-acting fuses deposed on territory
evacuated by the German troops, and shall assist in their discovery
and destruction. The German command shall also reveal all destructive
measures that may have been taken (such as poisoning or polluting of
springs, wells, etc.), under penalty of reprisals.
Nine--The right of requisition shall be exercised by the allies and the
United States armies in all occupied territory. The upkeep of the troops
of occupation in the Rhineland (excluding Alsace-Lorraine) shall be
charged to the German government, subject to the regulation of accounts
with those whom it may concern.
Ten--An immediate repatriation without reciprocity according to detailed
conditions, which shall be fixed, of all allied and United States
prisoners of war. The allied powers and the United States shall be able
to dispose of these prisoners as they wish. This condition annuls the
previous conventions on the subject of the exchange of prisoners of war,
including the one of July, 1918, in course of ratification. However,
the repatriation of German prisoners of war interned in Holland and
Switzerland shall continue as before. The repatriation of German
prisoners of war shall be regulated at the conclusion of the
preliminaries of peace.
Eleven--Sick and wounded who cannot be removed from evacuated territory
will be cared for by German personnel, who will be left on the spot with
the medical material required.
Twelve--All German troops at present in any territory which before the
war belonged to Roumania or Turkey shall withdraw within the frontiers
of Germany as they existed on August 3, 1914. Territory which belonged
to Austria-Hungary is added to that from which the Germans must withdraw
immediately, and as to territory which belonged to Russia it is provided
that the German troops now there shall withdraw within the frontiers
of Germany as soon as the allies, taking into account the internal
situation of those territories, shall decide that the time for this has
come.
Thirteen--Evacuation by German troops to begin at once and all German
instructors, prisoners, and civilian, as well as military agents, now on
the territory of Russia (as defined before 1914) to be recalled.
Fourteen--German troops to cease at once all requisitions and seizures
and any other undertaking with a view to obtaining supplies intended for
Germany in Roumania and Russia (as defined on August 1, 1914).
Fifteen--Denunciation of the treaties of Bucharest and Brest-Litovsk
and of the supplementary treaties. Sixteen--The allies shall have free
access to the territories evacuated by the Germans on their eastern
frontier, either through Danzig or by the Vistula, in order to convey
supplies to the populations of those territories and for the purpose of
maintaining order.
Seventeen--Evacuation by all German forces operating in East Africa
within a period to be fixed by the allies.
REPATRIATION AND REPARATION
Eighteen--Repatriation, without reciprocity, within a maximum period of
one month, in accordance with detailed conditions hereafter to be fixed,
of all civilians interned or deported who may be citizens of other
allied or associated states than those mentioned in clause three,
paragraph nineteen, with the reservation that any future claims
and demands of the allies and the United States of America remain
unaffected.
Nineteen--The following financial conditions are required:
Reparation for damage done. While such armistice lasts no public
securities shall be removed by the enemy which can serve as a pledge to
the allies for the recovery or repatriation for war losses. Immediate
restitution of the cash deposit in the National Bank of Belgium, and in
general immediate return of all documents, specie, stocks, shares, paper
money, together with plant for the issue thereof, touching public or
private interests in the invaded countries. Restitution of the Russian
and Roumanian gold yielded to Germany or taken by that power. This gold
to be delivered in trust to the allies until the signature of peace.
Twenty--Immediate cessation of all hostilities at sea and definite
information to be given as to the location and movements of all German
ships. Notification to be given to neutrals that freedom of navigation
in all territorial waters is given to the naval and mercantile marines
of the allied and associated powers, all questions of neutrality being
waived.
Twenty-one--All naval and mercantile marine prisoners of war of the
allied and associated powers in German hands to be returned without
reciprocity.
Twenty-two--Surrender to the allies and the United States of America of
all German submarines now existing (including all submarine cruisers and
mine-laying submarines), with their complete armament and equipment, in
ports which will be specified by the allies and the United States of
America. Those that cannot take the sea shall be disarmed of their
material and personnel and shall remain under the supervision of the
allies and the United States.
Twenty-three--The following German surface warships, which shall be
designated by the allies and the United States of America, shall
forthwith be disarmed and thereafter interned in neutral ports, or, for
the want of them, in allied ports to be designated by the allies and the
United States of America and placed under the surveillance of the
allies and the United States of America, only caretakers being left
on board--namely: Six battle cruisers, ten battleships, eight light
cruisers (including two mine layers), fifty destroyers of the most
modern type. All other surface warships (including river craft) are to
be concentrated in German naval bases to be designated by the allies
and the United States of America, and are to be paid off and completely
disarmed and placed under the supervision of the allies and the United
States of America. All vessels of the auxiliary fleet (trawlers, motor
vessels, etc.) are to be disarmed. Vessels designated for internment
shall be ready to leave German ports within seven days upon direction by
wireless. The military armament of all vessels of the auxiliary fleet
shall be put on shore.
Twenty-four--The allies and the United States of America shall have
the right to sweep up all mine fields and obstructions laid by Germany
outside German territorial waters and the positions of these are to be
indicated.
Twenty-five--Freedom of access to and from the Baltic to be given to the
naval and mercantile marines of the allied and associated powers. To
secure this, the allies and the United States of America shall be
empowered to occupy all German forts, fortifications, batteries, and
defense works of all kinds in all the entrances from the Cattegat into
the Baltic, and to sweep up all mines and obstructions within and
without German territorial waters without any question of neutrality
being raised, and the positions of all such mines and obstructions are
to be indicated.
Twenty-six--The existing "blockade conditions set up by the allies and
associated powers are to remain unchanged, and all German merchant ships
found at sea are to remain liable to capture. The allies and the United
States shall give consideration to the provisioning of Germany during
the armistice to the extent recognized as necessary.
Twenty-seven--All naval aircraft are to be concentrated and immobilized
in German bases to be specified by the allies and the United States of
America.
Twenty-eight--in evacuating the Belgian coasts and ports, Germany shall
abandon all merchant ships, tugs, lighters, cranes, and all other harbor
materials, all materials for inland navigation, all aircraft and all
materials and stores, all arms, and armaments, and all stores and
apparatus of all kinds.
EVACUATED ALL BLACK SEA PORTS
Twenty-nine--All Black Sea ports are to be evacuated by Germany; all
Russian war vessels of all descriptions seized by Germany in the Black
Sea are to be handed over to the allies and the United States of
America; all neutral merchant vessels seized are to be released; all
warlike and other materials of all kinds seized in those ports are to be
returned and German materials as specified in clause twenty-eight are to
be abandoned.
Thirty--All merchant vessels in German hands belonging to the allied and
associated powers are to be restored in ports to be specified by the
allies and the United States of America without reciprocity.
Thirty-one--No destruction of ships or of materials to be permitted
before evacuation, surrender, or restoration.
Thirty-two--The German government will notify the neutral governments of
the world, and particularly the governments of Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
and Holland, that all restrictions placed on the trading of their
vessels with the allied and associated countries, whether by the German
government or by private German interests, and whether in return for
specific concessions, such as the export of shipbuilding materials or
not, are immediately canceled.
Thirty-three--No transfers of German merchant shipping of any
description to any neutral flag are to take place after signature of the
armistice.
Thirty-four--The duration of the armistice is to be thirty days, with
option to extend. During this period, on failure of execution of any
of the above clauses, the armistice may be denounced by one of the
contracting parties on forty-eight hours' previous notice.
It is understood that the execution of articles three and eighteen
shall not warrant the denunciation of the armistice on the ground of
insufficient execution within a period fixed except in the case of bad
faith in carrying them into execution. In order to assure the execution
of this convention under the best conditions the principle of a
permanent international armistice commission is admitted. This
commission shall act under the authority of the allied military and
naval commanders-in-chief.
Thirty-five--This armistice to be accepted or refused by Germany within
seventy-two hours of notification.
PRESIDENT'S COMMENT ON ARMISTICE
"The war thus comes to an end; for, having accepted these terms of
armistice, it will be impossible for the German command to renew it.
"It is not now possible to assess the consequences of this great
consummation. We know only that this tragical war, whose consuming
flames swept from one nation to another until all the world was on fire,
is at an end and that it was the privilege of our own people to enter it
at its most critical juncture in such fashion and in such force as to
contribute, in a way of which we are all deeply proud, to the great
result.
"We know, too, that the object of the war is attained; the object upon
which all free men had set their hearts; and attained with a sweeping
completeness which even now we do not realize.
"Armed imperialism, such as the men conceived who were but yesterday
the masters of Germany, is at an end, its illicit ambitions engulfed in
black disaster. Who will now seek to revive it? The arbitrary power of
the military caste of Germany, which once could secretly and of its
own single choice disturb the peace of the world, is discredited and
destroyed.
"And more than that--much more than that--has been accomplished.
The great nations which associated themselves to destroy it had now
definitely united in the common purpose to set up such a peace as will
satisfy the longing of the whole world for disinterested justice,
embodied in settlements which are based upon something much better and
much more lasting than selfish competitive interests of powerful states.
"There is no longer conjecture as to the objects the victors have in
mind. They have a mind in the matter, not only, but a heart also. Their
avowed and concerted purpose is to satisfy and protect the weak as well
as to accord their just rights to the strong.
"The humane temper and intention of the victorious governments has
already been manifested in a very practical way. Their representatives
in the supreme war council at Versailles have by unanimous resolution
assured the people of the central empires that everything that is
possible in the circumstances will be done to supply them with food and
relieve the distressing want that is in so many places threatening their
very lives; and steps are to be taken immediately to organize these
efforts at relief in the same systematic manner that they were organized
in the case of Belgium.
"For, with the fall of the ancient governments which rested like an
incubus upon the people of the central empires, has come political
change not merely, but revolution; and revolution which seems as yet to
assume no final and ordered form.
"Excesses accomplish nothing. Unhappy Russia has furnished abundant
recent proof of that. Disorder immediately defeats itself. If excesses
should occur, if disorder should for a time raise its head, a sober
second thought will follow and a day of constructive action, if we help
and do not hinder.
"To conquer with arms is to make only a temporary conquest; to conquer
the world by earning its esteem is to make permanent conquest. I am
confident that the nations that have learned the discipline of freedom
and that have settled with self-possession to its ordered practice are
now about to make conquest of the world by the sheer power of example
and of friendly helpfulness.
"The peoples who have but just come out from under the yoke of arbitrary
government and who are now coming at last into their freedom will never
find the treasures of liberty they are in search of if they look for
them by the light of the torch. They will find that every pathway that
is stained with the blood of their own brothers leads to the wilderness,
not to the seat of their hope.
"They are now face to face with their initial tests. We must hold the
light steady until they find themselves. And in the meantime, if it be
possible, we must establish a peace that will justly define their place
among the nations, remove all fear of their neighbors and of their
former masters, and enable them to live in security and contentment when
they have set their own affairs in order.
"If they do we shall put our aid at their disposal in every way that
we can. If they do not we must await with patience and sympathy the
awakening and recovery that will assuredly come at last."
GERMAN MALTREATMENT OF PRISONERS
Prisoners set free under terms of the armistice brought back tales of
their almost unbelievably barbarous treatment in German prison camps. A
correspondent, Philip Gibbs, describes some of them as living skeletons.
Of one typical group he says "they were so thin and weak they could
scarcely walk, and had dry skins, through which their cheekbones stood
out, and the look of men who had been buried and come to life again.
Many of them were covered with blotches. 'It was six months of
starvation,' said one young man who was a mere wreck. They told me food
was so scarce and they were tortured with hunger so vile that some of
them had a sort of dropsy and swelled up horribly, and died. After they
left their prison camp they were so weak and ill they could hardly
hobble along; and some of them died on the way back, at the very
threshhold of new life on this side of the line."
[Illustration: MAP OF WORLD WAR ZONE
Showing Final Battle Line from Holland to Switzerland. Shaded Portion
Shows German Territory Evacuated.
1. Rhine line to be occupied by Allied troops as provided in Armistice,
showing cities and brdgeheads.
2. Neutral Zone Line as provided by terms of Armistice.]