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Armistice

European-United States history

Quick Summary

An armistice is an agreement to temporarily stop fighting between warring parties. It is not a formal end to a war but a cessation of hostilities.123

Armistice Day, observed on November 11, commemorates the end of World War I. The armistice that ended the fighting on the Western Front was signed at 5:45 am on November 11, 1918, taking effect at 11:00 am. This agreement was a result of Germany's final battles and subsequent collapse.45

While initially celebrated as a day to remember the end of World War I, the holiday's meaning evolved. The United States renamed it Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all military veterans, and Great Britain replaced it with Remembrance Sunday after World War II.4

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