This Day in History: The End of World War I

11/11, 11:00 AM. The 7th of Kislev, 5679. A train carriage in the Compiègne Forest in France. Representatives of Germany signed the armistice agreement, and World War I, which ravaged so many countries for four long years, came to an end.

The war claimed millions of lives. Even on this very day, the day of the signing of the armistice agreement, the war took about 10,000 casualties.

World War I ended not because of the conquest of this piece of land or that one – but simply because the participating nations were exhausted, and each country had lost hope of winning. In most countries, there were no significant breakthroughs following the war, and so the countries began, one by one, to sign the armistice agreement.

11/11 is recognized in many countries around the world as a national holiday because of the impact of the armistice. In Britain, this day is marked as a remembrance day for war casualties, while in the United States it is observed as "Veterans Day," dedicated to military veterans throughout the history of the United States.

Many Jewish communities were significantly affected during the war, though there was also hope, with Britain gaining control over the Land of Israel and the issuing of the Balfour Declaration, and the Jews hoped for a little peace and tranquility.

However, in a hospital in Germany during the armistice, there was one young soldier who was very angry about the decision to end the war. That soldier's name was Adolf Hitler, and the rest is history.