BELGRADE - Serbia marks the World War I Armistice Day as its national holiday on Tuesday. The day commemorates Germany's capitulation that led to the cessation of WWI hostilities. The capitulation was signed in a railway carriage in Compiegne, France, on November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m.

During WWI, which started with the attack of Austria-Hungary on Serbia, the map of Europe was irreversibly altered, among other things due to fierce resistance of Serbs. The breakthrough of the Salonika Front, which was carried out by Serbs, resulted in gradual dissolution of Austria-Hungary and capitulation of Germany thereby ending the most devastating war the world had witnessed to date.

The intention of the authorities in Vienna, which was openly stated, was to destroy Serbia completely, however stiff resistance, wise state leadership and sacrifice made by the entire nation led to a great victory.

Austria-Hungary started military operations against Serbia mid-August 1914 with much confidence, but the great victories of Serbs in the Battle of Cer (August 1914) and the Battle of Kolubara (December 1914) came as a surprise for the whole world.

A major offensive by Austria-Hungary, Germany and Bulgaria against Serbia in October 1915, which met strong resistance, was followed by gradual retreat of the Serbian Army and state leadership over the territory of today's Kosovo-Metohija, Albania and Montenegro to the shores of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea.

Although considerably reduced, the Serbian Army recovered completely mostly on the Corfu Island and in the hinterland of the Salonika Front, and from this area it had a number of attempts at breaking through the Salonika Front mid-September 1918.

As a result of Serbia's great victories, Bulgaria capitulated late in September, Austria-Hungary early in November 1918, and finally Germany in Compiegne on November 11.
Serbia lost a total of 1,248,136 people in this war, namely 28 percent of its population. In reality, this percentage was much higher bearing in mind Serbia's territory and its population before the Balkan Wars as well as dozens of thousands Serb volunteers from the region.

The victories of the Serbian Army were affirmed by decisions of Serbs in the areas that have not been liberated to join Serbia - Vojvodina on November 25, 1918 (Srem, a day earlier), Montenegro November 26, and after this Prince Regent Aleksandar Karadjordjevic announced in the Krsmanovic Palace in Belgrade the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on December 1, 1918.

According to the memorandum of a delegation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes at the Paris Peace Conference, Serbia mobilized over 707,000 people i.e. 24 percent of the total population from July 1914 to October 1915. This amounted to 40 percent of the total male population, which was more than any other belligerent.

The WWI belligerents including 36 countries in three continents Europe, Asia and Africa, mobilized around 70 million soldiers, 20 million of whom lost their lives. The number of Serbia's casualties was incomparable to any other country.

After WWI, a few large empires that existed for centuries disappeared - Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Germany, and a number of new states were established including the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
The Armistice Day is ceremoniously marked in all victorious countries since 1919, and this was also done in Serbia by WWII.

The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted amendments to the Law on State and Other Holidays in 2011 declaring the Armistice Day a national holiday.