Christmas ceasefire

[expat]

Tonight is my Great Grandfather, Arther Cook's night. Why? He was one of the football players. He was threatened with death for fratinising with the enemy.

Silent night, holy night.

During World War I, in the winter of 1914, on the battlefields of Flanders, one of the most unusual events in all of human history took place. The Germans had been in a fierce battle with the British and French. Both sides were dug in, safe in muddy, man-made trenches six to eight feet deep that seemed to stretch forever.

All of a sudden, German troops began to put small Christmas trees, lit with candles, outside of their trenches. Then, they began to sing songs. Across the way, in the "no man's land" between them, came songs from the British and French troops. Incredibly, many of the Germans, who had worked in England before the war, were able to speak good enough English to propose a "Christmas" truce.

The British and French troops, all along the miles of trenches, accepted. In a few places, allied troops fired at the Germans as they climbed out of their trenches. But the Germans were persistent and Christmas would be celebrated even under the threat of impending death.
Signboards arose up and down the trenches in a variety of shapes, from the Germans in fractured English.You no fight, we no fight was the most frequently employed German message. Some British units improvised 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' banners and waited for a response. More placards on both sides popped up."

A spontaneous truce resulted. Soldiers left their trenches, meeting in the middle to shake hands. The first order of business was to bury the dead who had been previously unreachable because of the conflict. Then, they exchanged gifts. Chocolate cake, cognac, postcards, newspapers, tobacco. In a few places, along the trenches, soldiers exchanged rifles for soccer balls and began to play games.

It didn't last forever. In fact, some of the generals didn't like it at all and commanded their troops to resume shooting at each other. After all, they were in a war.  :P

Matt

[Hagar]

Very interesting. You would obviously know more about this than me as your grandfather was directly involved. I read that the truce started to enable both sides to retrieve & bury their dead. Here's just a few of the many different accounts. http://www.fylde.demon.co.uk/xmas.htm

I think this bizarre incident perfectly demonstrates the stupidity & futility of war.

[expat]

Very interesting. You would obviously know more about this than me as your grandfather was directly involved. I read that the truce started to enable both sides to retrieve & bury their dead. Here's just a few of the many different accounts. http://www.fylde.demon.co.uk/xmas.htm

I think this bizarre incident perfectly demonstrates the stupidity & futility of war.

I only know what has been handed down to me. You are right about the beginning, but as usual with these things there is alot a lot of mythology. My mother knows quite a bit about it, his regiment and location etc. Time to ask again.

Matt

[Bird-Nerd]

I watched something about it on the history channel a couple years back  ;) that's all i have to say  ;D

[murjax]

I wonder why the generals told the soldiers to start shooting again. Who wants to provoke fighting in a war?

[dcunning30]

I wonder why the generals told the soldiers to start shooting again. Who wants to provoke fighting in a war?

Sometimes generals can become arrogant and megalomaniacal.  These generals end up viewing their flesh-and-blood soldiers as pawns on a chessboard.  History is replete with generals foolishly ordering their troops off to senseless slaughter.

But on the other hand, it's the officer's job to keep their mind on the big picture, the mission.  It's their job.  Having the troops fraternizing with the enemy can have the effect of diminishing the troops mental ability to complete their mission.

We can't jump into the generals minds some 90 years after the fact to learn their motivation.  Oh well,  it's a cool story anyway!