A clip of video footage of Armistice Day, November 11, 1918.

In this silent video, German and American soldiers shake hands and celebrate the end of World War I after the armistice, or agreement by both sides to stop fighting. The conflict had claimed the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians and left Europe utterly devastated. Although fighting would continue and more lives would be lost, this armistice, known as the Armistice of Compiègne because of the location in which it was signed, was the beginning of the end of the catastrophic world war. The armistice went into effect at eleven in the morning Paris time on November 11, 1918 ("the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month") and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although they did not formally surrender. The Treaty of Versailles had yet to be written at this point.