On November 11, 1918, the guns fell silent. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II had abdicated his throne, and the new German government signed an armistice to cease all fighting on the Western Front. When news of the Armistice spread, relief, disbelief, and impromptu celebrations rose up in the trenches and all the way back home. Church bells rang, people gathered, and everyone celebrated the new holiday of Armistice Day with music and parades.

Although the fighting had stopped, the countries still had to negotiate a peace treaty. During the formal negotiations, the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe became an occupying army, helping rebuild and making sure the Germans held to the cease-fire. Once the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, soldiers were finally able to come home. Many Minnesotans rode on troop transport ships like the U.S.S. Leviathan, which made nine round-trip voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. They were welcomed home with parades in communities all over the state.

Thousands of Minnesotans joined the military during World War I and many returned as veterans forever changed by their experiences. To address the needs of these returned veterans – from fellowship to health care to government benefits – they formed the American Legion. Chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans’ organization, the American Legion provided a sense of belonging and advocacy for World War I vets across the country. Local posts opened in most Minnesota communities, and the first national convention took place in Minneapolis in November of that year.

Decoration Day began as a way to honor those who died in the Civil War. After the close of World War I, however, the observance of the holiday expanded to include anyone who had died in any U.S. war. As a result, the name changed to Memorial Day.

Communities across the state also honored their friends, family, and neighbors with permanent plaques and memorials. Many of these monuments can be visited today in churches, schools, cemeteries, and parks.

World War I was optimistically called “The War to End All Wars,” but instead it opened up the possibility for new conflicts. A new international alliance, the League of Nations, was formed in an attempt to keep the peace, but there were other factors at play. Old powers collapsed and new ones arose on the world stage, including the United States. Improvements in technology led to stronger, more deadly weapons. And some of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles which ended the war impoverished and destabilized Germany, leading in part to World War II.

Even though the United States only joined the war during its last two years, the Americans had a major impact on the outcome of the war. The new troops, equipment, and money helped break the stalemate in Europe and hastened the defeat of Germany. Americans joined World War I, or the Great War as it was known then, for an idea that our country could help make the world a better place. The service and sacrifice of Minnesotans in support of this idea helped ensure America would be a leader on the world stage for the rest of the century.

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