The Christmas Truce, 1914

[Dennis Donovan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

Christmas truce


Soldiers from both sides exchange cheerful conversation
An artist's impression from The Illustrated London News of 9 January 1915: "British and German Soldiers Arm-in-Arm Exchanging Headgear: A Christmas Truce between Opposing Trenches"

In the week leading up to the 25th, French, German, and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. In some areas, men from both sides ventured into no man's land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs. There were joint burial ceremonies and prisoner swaps, while several meetings ended in carol-singing. Men played games of football (soccer) with one another, giving one of the most memorable images of the truce. Peaceful behavior was not ubiquitous; fighting continued in some sectors, while in others the sides settled on little more than arrangements to recover bodies.

The following year, a few units arranged ceasefires but the truces were not nearly as widespread as in 1914; this was, in part, due to strongly worded orders from the high commands of both sides prohibiting fraternisation. Soldiers were no longer amenable to truce by 1916. The war had become increasingly bitter after devastating human losses suffered during the battles of the Somme and Verdun, and the use of poison gas.

The truces were not unique to the Christmas period, and reflected a growing mood of "live and let live", where infantry close together would stop overtly aggressive behavior and often engage in small-scale fraternisation, engaging in conversation or bartering for cigarettes. In some sectors, there would be occasional ceasefires to allow soldiers to go between the lines and recover wounded or dead comrades, while in others, there would be a tacit agreement not to shoot while men rested, exercised or worked in full view of the enemy. The Christmas truces were particularly significant due to the number of men involved and the level of their participation—even in very peaceful sectors, dozens of men openly congregating in daylight was remarkable—and are often seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of human history.

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Happy Holidays EVERYONE!

[mountain grammy]

1. Not a Christmas person, but always loved this story..

Thanks for posting. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

[alterfurz]

2. Christmas in the Trenches / John McCutcheon

[Persondem]

3. A most amazing display of humanity.

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[pandr32]

4. One of my favorite Christmas stories

The movie "Joyeux Noel" covers this and we watch it every year. It reminds me of the magic I felt as a child at Christmas and only rarely experience since. It isn't about Jesus or Santa, it is about traditions and family and how those things speak to us.

This truce happened because the soldiers involved came together in the name of the holiday to celebrate it. While doing so they became civilized again and found their humanity. They shared pictures of their wives or girlfriends they carried in their pockets, their prized bits of food and grog from home, songs and stories, and played soccer on the battlefield after they had allowed each of the other two sides to retrieve and bury their dead.

When the truce was over they found they could not resume the war as before. Their enemies had become human beings and were as anxious to return home to people they loved as themselves. It dawned on all of them that the war was really between leaders and politicians--not them and so they resisted.

This is a story that should be celebrated more. We all should know it and remember it every holiday season. My grandfather was among those fighting "The War to End All Wars." We all know that didn't happen, but if we humanized instead of demonized the foes of our leaders, corporations, and politicians perhaps we would have achieved the peace those during the Christmas Truce did.

We should always remember that the real Christmas spirit comes from celebrating traditions with family and friends and communities and showing goodwill towards others. We should dump the commercialization of the holidays--we have all been had.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. An important historic Christmas miracle!

Thanks for the reminder!