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Sohn: A century of honoring American veterans

All told, since World War I began, more than 37.6 million American service members have put their lives on the line - and 668,000 lost their lives - for our liberty and that of others. (AP file photo)
All told, since World War I began, more than 37.6 million American service members have put their lives on the line - and 668,000 lost their lives - for our liberty and that of others. (AP file photo) All told, since World War I began, more than 37.6 million American service members have put their lives on the line - and 668,000 lost their lives - for our liberty and that of others. (AP file photo)

By Pam Sohn 3 min read

How our veterans add up:

18.2 million — total1.6 million — female11.8 million — black6.9 million — Hispanic50 percent — age 65 and older8.9 percent — younger than 35Source: U.S. Census Bureau

A century ago today, World War I came to an end at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. That’s when the armistice agreement was signed between Germany and the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France.

After four years of fighting, an eerie stillness fell across the trenched battlefields of Europe, according to historians, and on the next day, Allied commander Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch sent a message to the Allied Armies: “You have won the greatest battle in history and served the most sacred cause – the Liberty of the World.”

It was called the Great War, though how can any war be great? Over its 4-year course, it left 9 million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, along with at least 5 million civilians who died from disease, starvation, or exposure.

America sent 4.7 million sons and daughters to serve in what we now call World War I: 204,000 of them returned home wounded, and 116,516 did not come home at all.