November 8th

It was on November the 4th that the Supreme War Council approved the memorandum of the Allies addressed to Wilson, which accepted the Fourteen Points, reserving, however, the right for further discussion on Point Two, and also a clearer definition of the reparation clause. It was in this way, you might say, the war ended. On November the 5th the memorandum reached the President and was sent on by him to the Germans, with a statement to the effect that the actual terms could be obtained from Marshal Foch, if applied for.

“I am not at all sorry,” commented House, “that these reservations providing for the future discussion of several of the Points have been made because they emphasize complete acceptance of all the other Points. The Allied governments, reluctantly, I admit, but also undeniably, have committed themselves to the American Peace Program. This is indeed a turning point in history, and a triumph for our great President. I was not always confident we would achieve it. There are, alas, so many key men in the Allied governments who, to put it mildly, are not sympathetic to this program. We shall hear from them later.”

As a matter of fact these men had been heard from already, and later were heard from more frequently than even House anticipated. At the meeting on November 2d Clemenceau proposed that the words “reparation for damages” be added to the reparation clause. The British, Belgian, and Italian delegates objected on the ground that such a provision was out of place in an armistice convention, but after a somewhat languid discussion the addition was agreed to. Evidently encouraged by this success, the French Minister of Finance, M. Klotz, proposed a further addition in these words, “With the reservation of all ulterior claims on the part of the Allies and the United States,” or as he put it in French, “Sous réserve de toutes revendications et réclamations ultérieures de la part des Alliés et des États Unis.’’”’ This was agreed to, and also a clarifying statement was inserted to the effect that “by restoration of invaded territory it was understood that compensation would be made by Germany for all damage done to civilian populations of the Allies, and their property, by the aggression of Germany by land, by sea, and by air.”

On November 8th the delegations met at Rethondes in the forest of Compiègne. The Germans formally asked for the terms and duly received them. These terms were accepted by the German Government on November 10th. The Armistice convention was signed at 5 a.m. on November 11th and at 11 a.m. on that day it came into force. So much for the record.