Friday, November 09, 2018

Today -100: November 9, 1918: Oops


The United Press Association admits that there was no armistice Thursday, after 24 hours of stubbornly asserting that there was. They’re blaming Rear Adm. Henry Wilson for the false information, and the censors for delaying a second story saying the first was unconfirmed.

Pres. Wilson announces that when there is an actual armistice, he will certainly mention the fact.

Marshal Foch gives the German representatives (who at one point were forced to wear blindfolds) the armistice terms, and 72 hours in which to accept them (most of which will be used up sending a courier back & forth). He refuses to suspend hostilities in the interim, which is just dickish.

The Socialists in the German Reichstag threaten to quit the government unless Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates and Crown Prince Frederick Wilhelm renounces the throne. Wilhelm refuses, because that would lead to anarchy, anarchy I tell you!

Bavaria’s Diet deposes King Ludwig III, who flees to Salzburg. The Wittelsbach dynasty had ruled Bavaria since 1180, which everyone agrees is quite long enough.

Prince Maximilian of Baden resigns as chancellor of Germany.

The Kiel mutineers take most of the ships of the German navy out for a cruise, capturing the ports of Hamburg, Bremen etc. The commander-in-chief of the navy, who happens to be Kaiser Wilhelm’s brother Heinrich, flees from Kiel as mutineers shoot at his car.


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