On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 an armistice treaty signed between the Allies of WWI and Germany went into effect, ending hostilities on the western front, and closing one of the most tragic chapters in modern human history.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI. The spark that ignited what would become known as the Great War was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on the 28th of June 1914. By the time it ended four years later, nearly every world power will have been drawn into the conflict. Europe, from France to Russia, would be ravaged and an entire generation changed forever.
Twentieth century technology would be battle tested for the first time. Tanks, airplanes, and submarines allowed military forces to advance much faster than was possible in previous centuries. The use of more lethal artillery, weapons such as machine guns, and chemical warfare created high death tolls and vast casualties. The lives of 8 million soldiers were lost during the four years of WWI, and 7 million more were permanently disabled. Some countries lost as much as 17% of their active male population, and the WWI generation would come to be known as the lost generation.
The headlines on November 11, 1918 heralded the news the world had been waiting to hear. After four years of fighting, the fall of four empires, and the loss of 16 million human lives – a ceasefire was declared. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, officially ending WWI. The very first Armistice Day was held at Buckingham Palace on November 11, 1919. A poem written during the conflict by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, entitled “In Flanders Fields” would forever associate the poppy with the remembrance of WWI.
After WWII some countries changed the title of Armistice Day to honor veterans from all conflicts. In the United States it became Veteran’s Day. In the Commonwealth of Nations member states it became known as Remembrance Day or Poppy Day, while other nations have chosen to keep the title of Armistice Day. This year a special art installment at The Tower of London called Blood Swept Lands in a Sea of Red marked the centenary year of the beginning of the Great War. It includes 888,246 handcrafted ceramic poppies – one for each British and Colonial soldier lost in the conflict.
Join us in paying tribute to the men and women who have selflessly served and sacrificed for the safety of others throughout the years.
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