104 years ago, on Christmas Eve….
In 1914, the Pope issued a statement suggesting that all sides in conflict in the Great War should observe a Christmas truce.
In Europe, along the front lines between British and German troops, an unofficial truce began on Christmas Eve.
The story is recorded here:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices-of-the-first-world-war-the-christmas-truce
Guns went silent. German soldiers were out of their trenches and hidey-holes. Some were playing soccer or just goofing off. The Brits joined them in No Mans Land. They shared cigarettes, drinks, chocolate and stories.
For a brief moment, there was no war.
Category: Historical
Men died on that Christmas day. Men killed on that Christmas day. There were limited instances of the unofficial truces but the guns did no fall silent across the Front, no matter what that article’s author wrote. 149 British soldiers died that Christmas, although some from wounds incurred the days preceding Christmas. In one account, a German sniper killed two Brits on 12/25/14. For some German and British troops, the impromptu truces indeed occurred but the passing years have dulled the truth.
If you get the chance to see the new WWI documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old” by Peter Jackson, do it. Hearing about the horrors and life of trench warfare from the men that were there is sobering to say the least.
Makes the Christmas truce story even more incredible.
Thanks for this. I was under the impression that this doc was only being shown in the UK.
Just found out it’s running on 27 December near my house.
Definitely going to see it.
Thanks for that. It’s not laying near me but I’m willing to travel to see it. The closest I can come to a war movie at all is Marwen, a film about a crossdresser who gets the shit beaten out of him and escapes to a fantasy world that he creates.
The Book “Silent Night – The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce” by Stanley Weintraub is a short (200 pages) history of the events leading up to and the Truce itself.
There was a movie “Joyeux Noel” that shows the events:
Christmas 1915 is very moving:
Wow, very impressive! thanks for posting the link!
Dammit Ex, ya took my pic for my tomorrow’s FGS post, again! At least you have good taste in graphics. *grin*
Merry Christmas!
I generally hate Christmas music, but I will always pause and listen when I hear Garth Brook’s “Belleau Wood.”
One of my favs as well Mike
Damn, I had to go listen to the song again, and it brought back some memories. If you all don’t mind me rambling, I’ll tell you a little about it.
That song was released in 1997, and in that year, about a month before Christmas, my son was born 12 weeks early. He ended up spending those 12 weeks, plus a couple more in the hospital. Until well into the new year, they wouldn’t even give us odds on him surviving, and even after they did, the gave us a doom and gloom vision for his future. Anyway, during that first month, my wife lived at the hospital with him, and I visited as much as I could, between working two jobs, and taking care of the house. The NICU got used to me showing up at all hours of the night, whenever we dropped a pt. off at that hospital, I’d leave my partner for a few min to go up and check on him.
The first time I heard this song, I was headed home from a few hours at the hospital. I was pretty scared and down, my son had had a rough day, and doubt was definitely entering my mind. It was a blinding snowstorm, and when I heard the words of this song, I just broke down and cried. Between the snow and the tears, I couldn’t see the road, but *someone* kept me on it, and got me home safe.
This song renewed my hope, and reminded me that even when things looks darkest, He is there watching over us. That little premie turned 21 this year, Vegas at the NFR, and got to have beers with some of his rodeo idols.
Thanks for indulging my ramblings, and a very Merry Christmas to you all
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B5on4WK1MpA