Ceremony Marking 100th Anniversary of End of World War I Held with U.S. President and Leaders of Seventy Nations
President Trump attended a grand commemoration ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, held in Paris at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside leaders of seventy countries worldwide.
Exactly one hundred years ago, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, the raging flames of the first global war were extinguished.
On this occasion, Sunday, November 20 / November 11, a commemorative ceremony was held in Paris, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, with the attendance of President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and dozens of other world leaders.
Mr. Macron expressed hope in his speech that by learning from the lessons of past world wars, peace and tranquility would prevail globally.
He said: “Long live peace among the peoples and governments of nations. Long live free countries in the world. Long live friendship among the peoples of nations and long live France.”
President Trump, in a tweet celebrating the ceremony, thanked the French President for organizing it.
On this day, President Trump also visited the United States military cemetery in the town of Suresnes in the western suburbs of Paris and honored the memory of American soldiers who died in World War I.
The remains of 1,541 American soldiers from World War I and 24 unknown soldiers killed in World War II are buried in Suresnes Cemetery, which was established in 1917. On the wall of the small cemetery chapel, the names of 974 American soldiers who went missing at sea during the war are engraved on bronze plaques.
In Britain, one of the victorious nations of World War I, Queen Elizabeth II, along with the Royal Family and senior members of the British government, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the graves of soldiers killed in British wars.
At the Vatican, Pope Francis, leader of Catholics worldwide, in a speech on the occasion of this day, addressing world leaders, called for peace and tranquility in the world.
He said: “Today is the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, which, according to the previous Pope, was useless slaughter. Today at noon our time in Rome, the bells of all churches in the far corners of the world will ring. The scenes of World War I serve as a warning to all those who have not rejected the culture of war and are not making efforts to prevent entering into wars. Conflict still grieves many people, and it seems we never learn. As we pray for the souls of the fallen, let us cry out that we invest in peace and not war.”
In World War I, the Allied powers, including Britain, France, Russia, and the United States, achieved victory after four years against the Central Powers, comprising the German, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires.
As a result of the end of this war came the fall of the German, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian empires, the establishment of new nations in Europe and the Middle East, and the transfer of colonies from Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Austro-Hungary to other powers.
Source: Voice of America
