On this day in history in 1918, World War I ended when Germany signed an armistice with the Allies in Compiégne, France. The war, initially expected to be short, devolved into a brutal stalemate, especially on the Western Front, where trench warfare caused massive casualties. The entry of American troops and resources in 1918 tipped the balance in favor of the Allies. The war, known as the “war to end all wars,” resulted in about 9 million military deaths, 21 million wounded, and at least 5 million civilian casualties due to disease, starvation, and exposure. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 imposed harsh terms on Germany, sowing the seeds for future conflict and leading to World War II.