What is an armistice?

• A. A surrender document ending hostilities.
• B. An agreement to cease hostilities.
• C. A peace treaty ending all conflicts.
• D. A mutual alliance for future warfare.

Answer: (B)

An armistice is a formal agreement to stop fighting and suspend hostilities while terms of peace are negotiated. It creates a ceasefire, not a surrender or a final peace declaration. It allows time for diplomacy, and after an armistice, a separate peace treaty may be signed to officially end the war. For example, the armistice that halted World War I fighting on November 11, 1918 led to later peace treaties like the Treaty of Versailles. The other options describe different things: a surrender document means accepting defeat outright; a peace treaty ending all conflicts is the final settlement rather than a temporary halt; a mutual alliance for future warfare is a pact to cooperate in future conflict, not to stop fighting.