Christmas Truce of 1914

by michael.

Christmas Truce of 1914
In December 1914, German soldiers came out of their trenches on the Western Front to greet fellow soldiers from England and France in ‘no-man’s land.’  They had much in common, many had traveled to each others countries and spoke their languages.
For a few days, more than 100,000 soldiers ceased fire to exchange gifts, chocolates, cigarettes, and show each other family pictures.  They played volleyball and soccer together, lit candles around the trenches and sang carols around improvised Christmas trees.  The fraternization gave soldiers time to remove wounded and dead comrades from the battlefield.
The spontaneous celebration stunned military commanders and captivated the world.  Headlines celebrated the camaraderie of courageous soldiers who days before had been killing each other. In the midst of a war — which became known as the Great War and The War to End All Wars — common soldiers showed
their humanity and respect for their foes.  Why were their political and military leaders ordering them to kill each other?
On December 6, Monterey Chapter 46 of VFP remembered the Christmas Truce of 1914 with a social and educational gathering at a local restaurant for members, family and friends of VFP.  Chapter 46 will host similar educational events in 2017 promoting peace and exposing the true costs of war.
YouTube video:
Posted in Uncategorized