A Christmas Truce

A cross left in a town near Belgium to
 commemorate the site of the Christmas truce. 

'The Christmas truce' was a series of ceasefires that took place along the western front around Christmas 1914, during the 1st world war.  I was fascinated when I read this story, and I thought I should share it with you.

During the week leading up to Christmas of 1914, German and British soldiers who had been killing each other, began to exchange seasonal greetings and songs between the trenches. In fact the the tension was reduced so much that individuals would walk across to their opposite numbers bearing gifts. Amidst one of the most violent events of modern history. This was a spontaneous effort by lower ranks to create peace that could have blossomed, were it not for the interference of generals and politicians.

The Belgium and French also received goods although not in the same organised fashion as the British or Germans. For these nations the Christmas of 1914 was tinged with sadness, their countries were occupied. I find it so hard to believe that a soldier would give a gift to another enemy soldier and then maybe kill him the next day. In France there were 7,500,000 mobilized, 1,385,000 killed, 4,266,000 wounded 75% casualties.

This was actually all planned 9 years before the beginning of WW1, when a German field Marshal Alfred von Schlieffen  presented a plan known as the Schlieffen plan. It was a scheme to prevent Germany to having to fight a two-front war by first defeating France quickly and then throwing its full weight on Russia. He died in 1913 just nineteen months before the start of WW1.

On 3rd August 1914 Germany declared war on France,  and in early September the battle of Marne, which was near Paris, was fought.  In one day the French lost 27,000.

Here is a letter written by a soldier on that Christmas of 1914:

"I daresay you will be surprised at me writing a letter on such paper as this, but you will be more surprised when I tell you that it contained cake given to one of our men by a German officer on Christmas Day, and that I was given some of it. No doubt you will think this very very strange proceedings, but we had not been in the trenches very long on Christmas Eve before we were shouting and wishing one another a Merry Christmas. Then we invited them to come over; they did not like the idea, neither did we, of course. Some of the Germans spoke English very well, so they shouted "no shoot" and we said the same. Then one of our sergeants went out half way to meet them, and an officer and a private came out from the German trenches. They exchanged cigarettes, and after that they sang a song and so did we. Then on Christmas morning we all went out of the trenches and met the Germans half way. We were able to bury our dead, some of whom had been laying there for six weeks or more. We are still on speaking terms with them, so that we have not fired a shot at them up till now (December 29), neither have they, so that the snipers on each side have had a rest." This is typical of many other letters which have been published in the daily papers concerning what has been described as an "amazing truce".

How amazing is that!!!

Quote for today"
'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Give Our Day'.