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In Memory of the Christmas Truce of WWI
12/23/18

Posted on 12/23/2018 4:16:51 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

2018 marks the 100 year anniversary of the end of WWI.

WWI turned out to be a war more long, bloody, and bogged down than anyone at the time had expected. It wasn't long before both sides became mired down in soggy trenches, with no-man's land filled with barbed wire and pitted with a million muddy shell holes in between.

But in 1914, the fighting ceased for a day, at least along some parts of the line. It was Christmas. The British and French troops heard singing coming from across no-man's land. The Germans were singing "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night). The Germans had also propped a little Christmas tree up against the top of the trench. The British joined in the singing from the other side, and before long, soldiers of both sides came out of the trenches and met together in No-Man's land.

Men mingled and exchanged food and souvenirs. There were joint burial ceremonies and prisoner swaps, while several meetings ended in carol-singing. Men played games of football with one another, giving one of the most memorable images of the truce.

Such peaceful behaviour did not occur along the entire front however; fighting continued in some sectors, while in others the sides settled on little more than arrangements to recover bodies. In following years, truces were not nearly as widespread as in 1914; this was, in part, due to strongly worded orders from the high commands of both sides prohibiting truces, as well as soldiers becoming less amenable to truces after suffering devastating human losses.

The Christmas truces were particularly significant due to the number of men involved and the level of their participation—even in very peaceful sectors, dozens of men openly congregating in daylight was remarkable—and are often seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of human history.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History; Military/Veterans; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: christmas; wwi
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Click here for Sainsbury's lovely Christmas Truce advert (about 3 min long) from 2014:

1914 | Sainsbury's Ad | Christmas Truce 2014


1 posted on 12/23/2018 4:16:51 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

Thanks for the post/video. Wonderful tribute to an era when the enemy believed in the same God as we did and humanity was able to sometimes able to shine through even in the horrors of war.


2 posted on 12/23/2018 4:23:46 PM PST by LouieFisk
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To: LouieFisk

Yes! Now the enemy is either God-less or followers of middle-eastern death cult.


3 posted on 12/23/2018 4:28:00 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

What this vid and song were based on.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TwyFTRGiIUU


4 posted on 12/23/2018 4:28:05 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

5 posted on 12/23/2018 4:33:14 PM PST by FreeReign
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

> truces were not nearly as widespread as in 1914; this was, in part, due to strongly worded orders from the high commands of both sides prohibiting truces <

I’m not a big proponent of fragging. But high command fragging might have solved a lot of problems here.


6 posted on 12/23/2018 4:44:25 PM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

I’ll probably get some grief for this but last Dr. Who Christmas special’s showing the truce was very good.


7 posted on 12/23/2018 4:49:57 PM PST by wally_bert (We're low on dimes in fun city.)
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

Snoopy’s Christmas - Snoopy vs. The Red Baron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruirnUfaC5U


8 posted on 12/23/2018 4:54:19 PM PST by SMGFan
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To: RushIsMyTeddyBear

Thanks for sharing that!


9 posted on 12/23/2018 4:56:02 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
No probs. ❤ Merry Christmas.
10 posted on 12/23/2018 4:57:33 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear
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To: SMGFan

Haha cute!


11 posted on 12/23/2018 4:59:31 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

original song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_-Ms2liXoo


12 posted on 12/23/2018 5:00:53 PM PST by SMGFan
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To: wally_bert

The truce was very good. But the damn stupid and egotistical leaders (including the national leaders) didn’t like it. So the flower of Europe had to be destroyed, for no good reason.

There are days when I think those leaders should be dug up, and burned. But maybe that’s a bit too medieval of me.


13 posted on 12/23/2018 5:14:49 PM PST by Leaning Right (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

“Now the enemy is either God-less or followers of middle-eastern death cult.”

Yeah, throw a soccer ball out on the battlefield these days and the enemy is more likely to behead it than to have a friendly match with it.


14 posted on 12/23/2018 5:24:56 PM PST by LouieFisk
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To: wally_bert

“I’ll probably get some grief for this but last Dr. Who Christmas special”

I won’t give ya grief, but the idea of “Dr Who Christmas Specials” gave me a laff!
Now, _here’s_ a Christmas Special for ya -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQWUEJh-SVk


15 posted on 12/23/2018 5:29:46 PM PST by LouieFisk
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

That was Beautiful!

This event has been depicted a number of times, but that’s the best one I’ve seen. Thank you for sharing it....sent it to everyone!


16 posted on 12/23/2018 5:32:07 PM PST by left that other site (For America to have CONFIDENCE in our future, we must have PRIDE in our HISTORY... DJT)
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To: Leaning Right

Indeed! I think it was one of the most pointless and avoidable wars. It did NOT need to happen. Stupid proud saber-rattling leaders started that nonsense.


17 posted on 12/23/2018 5:34:47 PM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: wally_bert

It was incredibly well-done, probably their best.


18 posted on 12/23/2018 5:59:39 PM PST by Excellence (Marine mom since April 11, 2014)
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To: Excellence

People give Capaldi grief but I liked him very much.


19 posted on 12/23/2018 6:02:40 PM PST by wally_bert (We're low on dimes in fun city.)
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis

Good movie about this event:

Joyeux Noel

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424205/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_11


20 posted on 12/23/2018 6:50:42 PM PST by SoCal Pubbie
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