why did the armistice for wwi come into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month? Why did they set it to be this poetic date, costing many more needless lives? I don’t get it.

Question

Im autistic, so maybe I’m being too literal or hung up on small details, but why do this?

In: Other

Answer 1

Communication at the time was not instantaneous. For security reasons, military orders were sent on paper, often on horseback. You don’t want the armistice broken by someone who didn’t get the message, that could plunge everyone back into war.

So, if you’re looking for a mid-November time, 11:00 on 11/11 is clearly memorable. Since it’s going to be a history book fact whatever date you choose, choosing this one satisfies both sets of needs.