Armistice Day - Remembrance Day, Commemorating Peace, And Reflecting On World War I

Armistice Day: Commemorating Peace and Honoring Veterans

About: Armistice Day is better known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth States and Veterans Day in the United States.
Origin: It is celebrated every year on 11 November to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France in 1918.
- Despite armistice treaty, a formal peace agreement was reached only when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.
- The first Armistice Day events were held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace on 11 November 1919. This coincided with the visit of the President of France.
Events Marking the Day: Earlier, November 11 was focused on honoring the dead military personnel of the First World War and the return to peace.
- Prior to World War II, many countries changed the name, several changed the focus to include all veterans of their armed services, and others honor their war dead both uniformed and civilian during the war.
Other Allied Nations
- Among the Commonwealth countries, Canada was the first to name Remembrance Day, which was subsequently followed by other nations of Commonwealth.
- United States: The United States changed the name to All Veterans Day in 1954, which was later shortened to ‘Veterans Day’.
- France: In France, the holiday is known as Remembrance Day (Jour du Souvenir).
- Belgium: The day is known as Armistice Day (Jour de l’Armistice) in Belgium.
- Serbia: Since Serbian forces suffered the largest casualty rate in World War I, the day is a statutory holiday.
- Poland: The day in Poland is observed as National Independence Day, a public holiday to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Poland’s sovereignty.
Significance of the Day
- Celebrating Peace: The day marks the beginning of peace, following the end of World War I in Europe.
- Honouring Armed Forces Personnel: The Armistice Day honours military personnel as well as civilians who lost their lives during the war.

World War I: Origins, Escalation, and Unsettled Peace

Background: The Balkan region in Eastern Europe was experiencing instability. The whole region was ruled by various kingdoms, including Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire etc.
- There was a separatist movement going on to create a separate nation for various ethnic groups living in the area ruled by Austrians and Ottomans.
Start: World War I began in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
- Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip was involved in the assassination. Princip and other nationalists were trying to end Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
World War I Unfolds: The Chain of Events Leading to Global Conflict
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire decided to end the issue of Serbian Nationalism once for all. However, the Serbians were supported by the Russian empire.
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire feared that involvement of Russia would bring France and Britain to the war, making it impossible for them to sustain.
- However, Germany secretly pledged its support to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, giving Austria-Hungary a so-called carte blanche, or “blank check” assurance of Germany’s backing in the case of war.
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia, which pitted Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia against Germany and Austria-Hungary.
- The Americans were forced to enter the war when German ships sank US passenger and merchant ships, creating widespread anger against Germany.
- Due to discontent on the home-front and the surrender of its allies, Germany was forced to seek an armistice on November 11, 1918, temporarily halting World War I.
The Aftermath of World War I: Treaty of Versailles and the Seeds of World War I
- The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, marking the end of World War I.
- Holding Germany responsible for starting the war, the treaty imposed harsh penalties on the Germans, including loss of territory, massive reparations payments and demilitarization.
- However, the treaty failed to resolve the underlying issues that had led to war. It instead led to resentment within Germany. It fuelled the rise of Adolf Hitler and subsequent World War II.

Armistice Day

Conclusion:

The Armistice Day or the Remembrance Day is an occasion for remembering the dead military personnel as well as civilians, who laid down their lives for the purpose of establishing peace.

Must Read
NCERT Notes For UPSC	UPSC Daily Current Affairs
UPSC Blogs	UPSC Daily Editorials
Daily Current Affairs Quiz	Daily Main Answer Writing
UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers	UPSC Test Series 2024

DOWNLOAD PDF

Armistice Day FAQs

The Armistice Day was an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War and acted as a prelude to peace negotiations.

Armistice Day is celebrated on 11th November every year in the United Kingdom.

Commonwealth Countries: Among the Commonwealth countries, Canada was the first to name Remembrance Day, which was subsequently followed by other nations of Commonwealth. United States: The United States changed the name to All Veterans Day in 1954, which was later shortened to 'Veterans Day'. France: In France, the holiday is known as Remembrance Day (Jour du Souvenir). Belgium: The day is known as Armistice Day (Jour de l'Armistice) in Belgium. Serbia: Since Serbian forces suffered the largest casualty rate in World War I, the day is a statutory holiday. Poland: The day in Poland is observed as National Independence Day, a public holiday to commemorate the anniversary of the restoration of Poland's sovereignty.

It is celebrated to mark the armistice signed between Germany and Allies of World War I at Compiègne, France in 1918.

World War I pitted Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia against Germany and Austria-Hungary.

The Treaty of Versailles, which was signed in 1919 at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, marked the end of World War I.

Recommended For You

April 1, 2025

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Online Courses

GS Foundation

Crash Course

Combo (GS+Optional)

Optional Courses

Degree Program

Test Series

Offline Centres

Mukherjee Nagar

Old Rajinder Nagar

Lucknow

Prayagraj

Patna

Indore

Jaipur

Online Courses

Offline Centres

GS Foundation

Crash Course

Combo (GS+Optional)

Optional Courses

Degree Program

Test Series

Mukherjee Nagar

Old Rajinder Nagar

Lucknow

Prayagraj

Patna

Indore

Jaipur

Prelims Wallah (Q&A Bank)

Udaan

Udaan 500+

Budget & Economic Survey

Monthly Current Wallah

Weekly Current Wallah

Editorial Summary

Editorial Q&A Compilation

NCERT Wallah

Prahaar (Mains Wallah)

Marks Booster

Mains Wallah (Q&A Bank)

Prelims PYQs

Mains PYQs

Optional PYQs

Comprehensive Notes

Udaan Notes

NCERT Notes

Daily Current Affairs

Subject Wise Current Affairs

Editorial Analysis

Daily Prelims Practice

Daily Mains Practice

Blogs

Armistice Day – Remembrance Day, Commemorating Peace, and Reflecting on World War I

Armistice Day: Commemorating Peace and Honoring Veterans

World War I: Origins, Escalation, and Unsettled Peace

Conclusion:

Armistice Day FAQs

What is Armistice Day?

When is Armistice Day Celebrated?

How is Armistice Day Celebrated Across the World?

What is the Significance of Armistice Day?

World War I was fought between which Parties?

World War I ended with which Treaty?

Recommended For You

Live Blog

Recent posts

Archive Calendar

by month

Follow Us

Need help preparing for UPSC or State PSCs?

Aiming for UPSC?

Our Courses

Our Initiatives

Beginner’s Roadmap

Our Offline Centers

Download Our App

Contact Details

Aiming for UPSC?