Title
Draft of Armistice
Creator
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Identifier
WWP25332
Date
[1918 October]
Description
List of points for the armistice negotiations with Germany.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Armistices
Contributor
Anna Phillips
Relation
WWP25333
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
1. Enemy submarines to cease hostilities immediately upon the signing of the armistice.
2. Enemy to lay no mines outside his territorial waters during the armistice.
3. Enemy to do no mine sweeping outside his own territorial waters. Enemy to disclose the location of all mine fields laid by him outside his own territorial waters. [handwritten: near allied or neutral shores.]
4. Allied blockade aod restrictions on oceanborne commerce to continue as at present.
[original 5. and 6. crossed out]
5. Enemy naval forces to evacuate (a) all coasts and ports of occupied countries; (b) all ports and coasts of disputed territory which by the terms of the armistice military forces are to evacuate, including (c) the ports and coasts formerly included in the Empire of Russia.
6. No damage of any kind to be done by the enemy to any of evacuated coasts or ports and no military [handwritten: or naval] stores, provisions, or munitions to be destroyed or to be removed before evacuation.
7. All enemy naval surface craft of all classes shall withdraw for the duration of the armistice to enemy waters or bases as follows: Enemy vessels now in the North Sea, Baltic, or German home ports to the German Baltic ports; enemy vessels in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Aegean and adjacent waters, excepting the Black Sea and its tributaries, to the Austrian Adriatic ports; Enemy vessels in the Black Sea and its tributaries to remain in that Sea; vessls formerly belonging to Russia and now in the possession of the enemy to be surrendered to the Allies at such place or places and under such conditions as may be prescribed by the allied commanders in chief in the North Sea and Mediterranean. No damage of any kind to be done to these vessels by the enemy. Final disposition of these vessels to be determined by the treaty of peace.
8. All enemy submarines, except only such of those under construction as are not yet launched, to be interned in [handwritten: specified neutral] ports for the duration of the war. [handwritten: under such conditions as would insure their detention]
9. All enemy naval aircraft to be concentrated at enemy base specified by the Allies, and to remain there during the armistice.
[original 12. and 13. crossed out]
10. All the above measures to be executed in the shortest possible time.
11. In the above proposals wherever the word “Allies” or its derivative was used it should be interpreted to include all the powers actively associated in the war against the Central Powers.
Handwritten: [Originally in private file. WW’s typewriting, longhand and shorthand. The shorthand at the top of 1st page reads: “Recommendations by Sims” (Mrs. Whalen’s’ transcription made at direction of R. S. Baker). See Sims’ manage. Oct. 25, 1918]
2. Enemy to lay no mines outside his territorial waters during the armistice.
3. Enemy to do no mine sweeping outside his own territorial waters. Enemy to disclose the location of all mine fields laid by him outside his own territorial waters. [handwritten: near allied or neutral shores.]
4. Allied blockade aod restrictions on oceanborne commerce to continue as at present.
[original 5. and 6. crossed out]
5. Enemy naval forces to evacuate (a) all coasts and ports of occupied countries; (b) all ports and coasts of disputed territory which by the terms of the armistice military forces are to evacuate, including (c) the ports and coasts formerly included in the Empire of Russia.
6. No damage of any kind to be done by the enemy to any of evacuated coasts or ports and no military [handwritten: or naval] stores, provisions, or munitions to be destroyed or to be removed before evacuation.
7. All enemy naval surface craft of all classes shall withdraw for the duration of the armistice to enemy waters or bases as follows: Enemy vessels now in the North Sea, Baltic, or German home ports to the German Baltic ports; enemy vessels in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Aegean and adjacent waters, excepting the Black Sea and its tributaries, to the Austrian Adriatic ports; Enemy vessels in the Black Sea and its tributaries to remain in that Sea; vessls formerly belonging to Russia and now in the possession of the enemy to be surrendered to the Allies at such place or places and under such conditions as may be prescribed by the allied commanders in chief in the North Sea and Mediterranean. No damage of any kind to be done to these vessels by the enemy. Final disposition of these vessels to be determined by the treaty of peace.
8. All enemy submarines, except only such of those under construction as are not yet launched, to be interned in [handwritten: specified neutral] ports for the duration of the war. [handwritten: under such conditions as would insure their detention]
9. All enemy naval aircraft to be concentrated at enemy base specified by the Allies, and to remain there during the armistice.
[original 12. and 13. crossed out]
10. All the above measures to be executed in the shortest possible time.
11. In the above proposals wherever the word “Allies” or its derivative was used it should be interpreted to include all the powers actively associated in the war against the Central Powers.
Handwritten: [Originally in private file. WW’s typewriting, longhand and shorthand. The shorthand at the top of 1st page reads: “Recommendations by Sims” (Mrs. Whalen’s’ transcription made at direction of R. S. Baker). See Sims’ manage. Oct. 25, 1918]
Original Format
List