Allies Receive German Armistice Delegation
Mathias Erzberger, head of the German armistice delegation and a leading member of the Catholic Centre party. Although initially in favor of large German annexations, he gained the unlikely mantle of being one of Germany’s leading advocates for a negotiated peace after sponsoring a peace resolution in the summer of 1917 upon learning of Germany’s military weaknesses.
November 8 1918, Compiègne–With Ludendorff’s departure, both the military and civilian leadership of Germany were willing to seek an armistice. In a conference in Paris from October 29 through November 4, Allied leaders (Colonel House representing the Americans) came to an agreement on the armistice terms that would be acceptable to the Allies. The Allies largely agreed to the Fourteen Points as a basis, though the British insisted on a reservation regarding the freedom of the seas (which they objected to as a limit on their naval power and right to blockade), while the French insisted on their right to reparations from Germany. Otherwise, the Americans were willing to leave the military details to the generals and admirals, and on November 5 Lansing informed the Germans that they must contact Foch to seek terms. The details of the agreement were of increasingly little importance to the Germans, with their army in full retreat Groener did not think they could hold while revolution was breaking out behind the lines. On November 6, Groener informed Prince Max that an armistice must be concluded by Saturday the 9th; Monday the 11th would be too late.
On November 7, a German delegation led by Mathias Erzberger (chief proponent of the Reichstag peace resolution in 1917) crossed the front line. The local ceasefire that allowed this was mistakenly interpreted as a general armistice by the United Press Association, leading to false reports of an armistice in the United States that day. At 9AM on November 8, the delegation met with First Sea Lord Wemyss and Foch, who had the Allies’ proposed terms read aloud. The Germans would hand over large quantities of military stores, and evacuate Belgium, France, and Alsace-Lorraine within two weeks, while Allied forces would occupy the Rhineland. Ten dreadnoughts, six battlecruisers, eight cruisers, fifty destroyers, and 160 U-boats would be interned in neutral ports. The blockade of Germany would continue unabated until a final peace was concluded. Any violation of the armistice terms would result in a resumption of hostilities within forty-eight hours.
The Germans were shocked by the harsh terms. The naval representative protested at the naval terms, saying that the undefeated German fleet could not be interned; Wemyss tersely replied that if that was required, the German fleet only had to leave their ports. Erzberger realized that the terms would be difficult for his government to accept, and requested an immediate ceasefire to stop the bloodshed and let the German army prevent a Bolshevik takeover in Germany while more lasting armistice terms were agreed to. This was not without precedent; the Central Powers had agreed to a ceasefire with Russia until a formal armistice was signed at Brest-Litovsk a week later. Foch refused; Bolshevism was “the usual disease prevailing in beaten armies” and was not worried about any revolution spreading beyond Germany. The only concession the Germans were able to extract was the reduction in the number of submarines to be interned from 160 (a number they did not have) to their entire submarine fleet, which was what the British wanted anyway. At 1PM, Erzberger forwarded the Allied terms back to Berlin.
Today in 1917: The Bolsheviks’ First Decrees
Today in 1916: First Woman Elected to US Congress
Today in 1915: Air Attack Damages Rail Bridge Between Bulgaria and Turkey
Today in 1914: Fighting, Shelling in Third Week Around Burning Ypres
Sources include: Nick Lloyd, Hundred Days; Robert K. Massie, Castles of Steel.
