The Armistice 11 November 1918

The Armistice was designed to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities between Germany and the Allied Powers; its provisions did not address the disposition of German colonies, Austria-Hungary or the Ottomans. In respect of the western front it stipulated that German troops should immediately withdraw from France, Belgium, Alsace-Lorraine and Luxembourg. Furthermore, Germany was required to vacate troops from a broad swathe of the Rhineland surrounding the cities of Mainz, Cologne and Coblenz, which was then to be occupied by Allied forces. The occupation was divided between troops from Britain, France, the US and Belgium. In addition, Germany was required to dismantle or surrender much of its armaments, navy and the whole of its submarine fleet. The treaties it had previously been able to impose on Russia, at Brest-Litovsk, Rumania and Bucharest were renounced, leaving territorial disposition on the former eastern front for the future.