The Great War - WW1
The Collapse of Germany
By the beginning of October 1918, Germany's strategic position had been fatally undermined. One-by-one the German allies had fallen by the wayside. On the 25th of September Bulgaria asked for peace. In Palestine, Turkish forces were in full retreat. In Italy the Austrian Army was on its last legs. On the 27th of October, Ludendorff resigned.
Inside Germany, hunger and a growing influenza epidemic were taking a heavy toll. In the port of Kiel 40'000 sailors mutinied. Austria and Turkey signed ceasefire agreements. On the 9th of November a socialist government seized power in Germany and the Kaiser abdicated. Since the night of 7th of November a German delegation had been negotiated with Foch in his railway carriage headquarters in Compiegne. They had been instructed to sign whatever terms were offered. When they asked Foch what his terms for peace were, he replied 'None'. The Germans admitted that they could not fight on. Foch replied, 'Then you have come to surrender'.
At dawn on the 11th of November 1918 a message went out to all the Allied armies. The opening words were: 'Hostilities will cease at 11 hours today, November 11th'. The guns were to fall silent. At first the men at the front could not come to terms with the quiet which lapped their positions. After over four years of war it was eerie not to hear gunfire somewhere. Relief came later, then jubilation.