# 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal

The 1914–1918 Inter-Allied Victory medal (French: "Médaille Interalliée de la Victoire 1914–1918") was a French commemorative medal established on 20 July 1922. It was the French version of a common allied campaign medal where each allied nation issued a Victory Medal to their own nationals, all issues having certain common features, including the same ribbon, a winged figure of victory on the obverse and a similar inscription on the reverse, the French version reading "LA GRANDE GVERRE POUR LA CIVILISATION 1914-1918".
It was awarded to all soldiers who served three months, consecutive or not, between 2 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 in the war zone. It was also awarded to civilian nurses, aliens (civilian or military) who served directly under French command, marshals and generals who had a command for at least three months, prisoners of war from Alsace and Lorraine who then served in the French forces. Article 10 of the establishing law states: "The right to the medal is also granted to soldiers who were killed by the enemy or died from wounds of war and those (....) who died of disease or injury incurred in service." The next of kin of those killed or died were required to procure the medal at their own expense.

## International award

In response to a proposal first made by the French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, supreme commander of the Allied Forces during the First World War, most allied nations issued a Victory Medal following a common design, thereby avoiding any need for countries to exchange campaign medals. Each country produced their own version, following certain common criteria. The medal was to be in bronze with a 36 mm diameter, having a winged figure of victory on the obverse, a common inscription on the reverse and suspension by a double rainbow design ribbon. Japan and Siam replaced the figure of victory, since a winged victory symbol was not culturally relevant.
At the start of the war in 1914, the countries of Poland and Czechoslovakia were parts of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires respectively. The following versions were finally awarded:
Inter-Allied Victory Medal by Country :
| Country | Designer | Manufacturer | Number issued | Established by |
| Belgium | Paul Du Bois (1859–1938) | ----- | 300,000–350,000 | Royal Decree from 15 July 1919 |
| Brazil [Wikidata] | Jorge Soubre [fr] (1890–1934) | Casa da Moeda - Rio de Janeiro | approximately 2,500 | Decree nr. 16074 from 22 June 1923 |
| Cuba [Wikidata] | Charles Charles | Etablissements Chobillon | 6,000–7,000 | Decree nr. 905 from 10 June 1922 |
| Czechoslovakia [cz] | Otakar Španiel (1881–1955) | Kremnice Mint | approximately 89,500 | Decree from 27 July 1920 |
| France | Pierre-Alexandre Morlon [fr] (1878–1951) | Monnaie de Paris | approximately 2,000,000 | Law from 20 July 1922 |
| France | Charles Charles | Etablissements Chobillon | ----- | Law from 20 July 1922 |
| France | M. Pautot and Louis Octave Mattei | ----- | ----- | Law from 20 July 1922 |
| Greece | Henry-Eugène Nocq (1868–1944) | V. Canale | approximately 200,000 | Law from 22 September 1920 |
| Italy | Gaetano Orsolini (1884–1954) | Sacchini-Milano S.Johnson-Milano F.M.Lorioli & Castelli-Milano | approximately 2,000,000 | Royal Decree nr. 1918 from 16 December 1920 |
| Japan | Shokichi Hata | Osaka Mint | approximately 700,000 | Imperial Edict nr 406 from 17 September 1920 |
| Poland | .... Vlaitov | Mint Kremnica | ----- | |
| Portugal [pt] | João Da Silva (1880–1960) | Da Costa | approximately 100,000 | Decree from 15 July 1919 |
| Romania | Constantin Kristescu (1871–1928) | La Maison Arthus-Bertrand | approximately 300,000 | Royal Decree nr 3390 from 20 July 1921 |
| Siam (Thailand) [th] | Itthithepsan Kritakara [th] (1890–1935) | ----- | approximately 1,500 | |
| South Africa | William McMillan (1887–1977) | Woolwich Arsenal | approximately 75,000 | Decree from 1 September 1919 |
| United Kingdom | William McMillan (1887–1977) | Woolwich Arsenal Wright & Son | 6,334,522 plus | Decree from 1 September 1919 |
| United States | James Earle Fraser (1876–1953) | Arts Metal Works Inc. S.G.Adams Stamp & Stationary Co. Jos. Mayer Inc. | approximately 2,500,000 | General Order nr 48 from 9 April 1919 of the Department of War |
| Source unless otherwise indicated: Alexander J. Laslo (1986). The Interallied Victory Medals of World War I. Albuquerque: Dorado Publishing. ISBN 0961732008. Notes 1 2 Unofficial type. ↑ On the obverse the winged figure of Victory was replaced by Takemikazuchi, the war god in Japanese mythology. ↑ For reasons still not known, Poland did not proceed with the manufacture of the medal at their mint. The medal shows a clearly visible “MK” (Mint Kremnica). The medal may possibly be an unofficial strike by a veterans’ group. ↑ The text on the reverse is in English and Dutch. ↑ Awarded not only to British combatants but as well to those from the dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those from the Empire of India. |||||||

## Award certificate

A certificate confirming the award was given to each recipient confirming his right to wear the medal.