The Christmas Truce of 1914

The one story that always stuck with me when learning about the World Wars was the Christmas Truce of 1914. I had always questioned what was the reasoning behind each man's resolve to fight a war that was not of their own. But looking into the Christmas Truce of 1914 speaks levels of humanity in the time of war. It showed me that not everyone on the sides of war agreed with their governments. It showed me that men were more likely to fight a war if they were fearing for their lives. Propaganda techniques were mastered over this time witch would later lay the ground works for the propaganda that would hit all sides during World War 2. The masters of war learned from this experience, and they knew that they would have to stop this from happening again, or man would find a common ground and not fight another elitist war.

In the prior days of the Christmas Truce, all men began receiving parcels from their families, and gifts from their leaders. The gifts from their leaders usually was tobacco products for those who used and others got chocolates who did not use tobacco. Families would send boots, clothing, cards, photos, and other treats. The German Government began sending Christmas Trees out to all the the men. It was in the air, and all the men wanted to take a break from war. The following nights the weather cleared, and extremely cold weather came in. Winds blew away the terrible smell of rotting bodies on the fields. Every now and then one could hear a little singing of Christmas hymns coming from different directions.

December 24th, 1914 was a quiet night. Men were taking a break from battle thinking of their loved ones, their traditions they were celebrating just a year prior with their friends and families. It was this night, the men from all trenches began to hear singing ringing out, coming from the other sides of the trenches in no man's lands, loudly. The curious British Soldiers peaked up out of the trenches to see lanterns and candles on small Christmas Trees. To their amazement, a few Germans got out of their trench with a these lit up trees and began to sing Silent Night and walk straight into no man's land, with no fear of what would happen. They could be shot. But what Transpired next was one of the most heart warming things I have read about war.

The British began cheering the German men who dared to walk the no mans land. They applauded and began singing, got out out of their trenches and wearing the parcels given to them by their families proceed to greet the Germans. I have to wipe a tear from my eye at this point, as I find this to be so human, for men to sit aside their differences during war, and come together to celebrate a holiday with each other.

The next morning the truce held. The men began approaching each other on the no man's land, trading gifts, tobacco, chocolate. They would show each other pictures of their families, sing songs hug one another, and take a break from fighting. Some men used this time to gather the dead bodies and pay their respects to their fallen comrades. While burying their comrades, other soldiers would go to the other side of the trench and help their enemies collect their lost ones and also help them bury their dead. At one point there was one area of the war where both sides got together and had services for all the fallen in the war. Soccer began to break out at different areas of the trenches. Men getting together playing a game rather than killing one another.

This made its way to certain news papers and to families from letters written by men in the front line. It was great news to hear, and many around the world cherished at the thought that a positive thing could be learned from war. That humanity still exists in even the darkest of times. While commanding officers were not to happy about the truce, steps were taken to try to end this. The majority of the men wanted the truce to continue till at least the new year. In some areas peace continued till March of 1915. To try and end this, soldiers were called back and replaced with new soldiers who had not experienced both the war, or the peace truce. Knowing only of the propaganda they were fed, they were ready to fight. I read in one letter that a Commanding officer from the British, walked out into the middle of one of the sites where the truce was and shot a German soldier point blank. Scaring all the men back to the trenches and restarting the war. While I would need to confirm this aspect, it is known that in coming years other steps would be taken to make sure men would keep fighting.

I think this speaks for itself on such a high level, that during the darkest of times, humanity will find a way to be humane. That in each of us, there is a common ground we can reach. That no war can really stop us from uniting and joining together. All it comes down to is, what is in our hearts.