November 11 - Today in History

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All Events

1918

Armistice of World War I

The Armistice between the Allies and Germany was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest, France, effectively ending the fighting on the Western Front of World War I. The ceasefire took effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

⚔️ Wars & Conflicts

1921

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Dedicated

In Arlington National Cemetery, the United States dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor unidentified American service members who died in World War I. The site has since become a powerful national symbol of sacrifice and is guarded 24/7 by the U.S. Army.

🎭 Arts & Culture

1975

Angolan Independence

Portugal granted independence to its former colony of Angola, ending nearly five centuries of Portuguese rule. The transfer of power led immediately to a devastating civil war between rival nationalist movements, which became a proxy conflict of the Cold War.

🏛️ Politics & Government

1983

First Virus Demo

Fred Cohen demonstrated the first documented computer virus during a security seminar at Lehigh University. His experiment, conducted on a VAX system, proved the concept of a self-replicating program that could 'infect' other computers, highlighting future cybersecurity threats.

💻 Technology

2011

Final Space Shuttle Crews Honored

The crews of the final space shuttle missions, STS-135 (Atlantis) and STS-134 (Endeavour), were honored in a ceremony at the White House. The event marked the official conclusion of NASA's 30-year Space Shuttle Program, which began in 1981.

🔬 Science & Discovery

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Did You Know?

November 11, 1918, is remembered as Armistice Day, but the actual signing of the armistice that ended World War I fighting occurred in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiègne, France, at 5:45 AM. The ceasefire, however, was deliberately scheduled for the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

On November 11, 1921, the United States buried an unidentified American soldier from World War I in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The tomb is guarded 24/7 by the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, and the sentinel's 21-step walk is a precise ritual timed to 21 seconds, symbolizing the 21-gun salute, the highest military honor.