Forgotten History - Friday, December 23, 2005  
       "Little known facts and overlooked history"  

Christmas Truce  
 

It was totally unexpected; troops who had been killing each  
since September, embraced and danced, sung songs and stopped  
the madness of WWI. The truce was observed by the British  
and German troops in the southern part of Ypres Salient in  
Belgium.  

German soldiers, as was their custom on Christmas, began to  
decorate Christmas trees with lit candles. The British were  
surprised and closely watched the actions of the Germans.  
Next they heard Christmas songs being sung. The Germans  
called out to the British. They called "Tommy" while the  
British replied "Fritz". The German soldiers invited the  
British over and one British soldier said:  

"We got into a conversation with the Germans who were  
anxious to arrange a truce during Christmas. A scout named  
F. Murker went out and met a German Patrol and was given  
a glass of whisky and some cigars, and a message was sent  
back saying that if we didn't fire at them they would not  
fire at us."  

-
The guns of war became silent and soon the troops met;  
letters were exchanged, and a football match occurred. They  
danced together and for a moment sanity had replaced the  
madness. Regular people had disobeyed their politicians and  
commanders. In many sectors the truce lasted until midnight,  
but in other places it went to New Year.  

The commanders, those leaders of hell, were visibly upset.  
How dare they, those commoners, replace our world of war  
with the understanding of peace? British Commander-in-Chief,  
Sir John French issued these orders:  

"I issued immediate orders to prevent any recurrence of  
such conduct, and called the commanders to strict account."  

Artists, who always understand the depravity of war, reacted  
differently. Arthur Conan Doyle said this was "one human  
episode amid all the atrocities which have strained the  
memory of war."  



It was a beautiful moment, which would never happen again.  
The war would drag on and on until the best of Europe's  
young men lay dead. We became involved with this senseless  
war several years later and our young men died needlessly  
on the battlefields of Europe.  

The brutality of war defined the 20th century as millions  
died in a further gruesome war twenty years later. The  
politicians made sure that would happen with their treaties.  
The debacle, which the world finds still finds itself in the  
Middle East, was also a product of that war. War solves no  
fundamental problem, and with the exception of World War II,  
creates no solutions. Peace on earth and goodwill to men  
should be more than just a slogan, but a way of life.  

What part of "thou shalt not kill do they not understand"  
you may ask? Now we are in a new century and god is used to  
justify more madness. Is their hope? I say yes but we have  
to look at the soldiers of Christmas who back in 1914  
offered a glimmer of hope. It is up to us.  

Sources Martin Gilbert: The History of the First World War

There is a children's book that is based on the story of the Christmas truce where both British & German troops just dropped their weapons and played football (soccer) in no mans land on xmas day.

In my opinion WWI was the biggest example of how pointless war is and many millions of young men and women lost their lives needlessly becuase of the pride of a few politicians and obnoxious commanders.

Would'nt it of been great if both armies said screw it lets all make friends and sod the war!

It is also a proven fact that WWII is a direct result of the events that happened at the end of WWI as Germany was mightly pee'd off.

right, I'm an old hippie and we used to say what if they gave a war and nobody came?
was why I was suprised that this actually happened, if only for a few hours or days, I think it was supposed to happen. and I remember that the conditions were set up for a replay after WW1, so the past influences the future. cheers, alysia