A CHRISTMAS TRUCE ON THE WESTERN FRONT
The Western Front in France & Belgium (JFK+50) On December 25, 1914 thousands of soldiers on both sides of No Man's Land* "climbed out of the trenches...sang Christmas carols, and exchanged food, gifts and souvenirs."
Jon Wiener of The Nation describes it as "a unique event in the history of modern warfare."
It began with German troops putting candles on their trenches and singing carols. The British soldiers responded by singing carols and then from both sides came shouts of Christmas greetings. Soon a soccer match was being played in No Man's Land.
Unfortunately, the truce lasted only a couple of days and the world war would continue four more years.
*No Man's Land was the unoccupied area between the opposing trenches along the Western Front during WWI. It was a scene of death as soldiers crossed it to attack opposing trenches.
SOURCE
"The Day the Troops Refused to Fight: December 25, 1914", by Jon Wiener, The Nation, December 23, 2014. www.thenation.com/
The Christmas Truce
by A.C. Michael
The Illustrated London News
January 9, 1915
The Western Front in France & Belgium (JFK+50) On December 25, 1914 thousands of soldiers on both sides of No Man's Land* "climbed out of the trenches...sang Christmas carols, and exchanged food, gifts and souvenirs."
Jon Wiener of The Nation describes it as "a unique event in the history of modern warfare."
It began with German troops putting candles on their trenches and singing carols. The British soldiers responded by singing carols and then from both sides came shouts of Christmas greetings. Soon a soccer match was being played in No Man's Land.
Unfortunately, the truce lasted only a couple of days and the world war would continue four more years.
*No Man's Land was the unoccupied area between the opposing trenches along the Western Front during WWI. It was a scene of death as soldiers crossed it to attack opposing trenches.
SOURCE
"The Day the Troops Refused to Fight: December 25, 1914", by Jon Wiener, The Nation, December 23, 2014. www.thenation.com/
The Christmas Truce
by A.C. Michael
The Illustrated London News
January 9, 1915
