World War I ended at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. This moment, known as Armistice Day, marked the signing of the armistice between Germany and the Allies, which led to the cessation of fighting on the Western Front. The formal agreement was signed in a railroad car in the Compiègne Forest near the town of Compiègne and came into effect at that time, signaling the victory of the Entente and the defeat of Germany, although it was not a formal surrender. This armistice effectively ended the conflict on land, sea, and air in World War I.
The war officially spanned from July 28, 1914, to November 11, 1918. While the armistice stopped the fighting, the formal peace treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, was signed later on June 28, 1919, which officially ended the state of war.
