Christmas Truce (1914)

On Christmas Eve 1914, on the western front, British soldiers heard German troops in the opposite trenches singing carols.

They soon joined in with the singing and both sides shouted ‘Merry Christmas!’ to each other between the trenches.
At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day British and German soldiers met across no man’s land.

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Credit:

Narrator:

Chris Cook

Animation:
Daniel Turner

Artwork:
Daniel turner

Music Credit

Pictures: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

[evolvedape]

One of the most inspirational moments in world history.

[Keklan]

My great grandfather took part in the Christmas truce. I still have the cup that was given him by a German soldier :)

[jeddoando]

This shows that everyone even the enemy has a soul, not one filled with darkness and hatred

[agathaking]

the day humanity remembers their humanity

[rockies]

It must of been really awkward when they started fighting after the truce

[xTrnaL]

this shows us that they were fighting someones elses wars not theirs

[cohlt]

They showed us your vids in my history class!

[KeS]

Behind every gun sight is a human being....

[unitedhistory]

the only time in war history. fellow men gave praise and show human emotions on a day that should be celebrated not by war or hate. but by happiness and peace. the Christmas truce will always be remembered as the sole reason why humanity is still human.

[attentivegingy]

Oh today we're all brothers,
Tonight we're all friends,
A moment of peace in a war that never ends!

[Simplehistory]

The arrival of December 1914 was proof, that the war would not be ‘over by Christmas’ and some ceasefires between both sides emerged on Christmas day.

[gazelement]

0:32 No one can resist a face like that

[DevilSlayer]

Silence
Oh, I remember the silence
On a cold winter day
After many months on the battlefield
And we were used to the violence
Then all the cannons went silent
And the snow fell
Voices sang to me from no man’s land

We are all, we are all, we are all, we are all friends

And today we’re all brothers
Tonight we’re all friends
A moment of peace in a war that never ends
Today we’re all brothers
We drink and unite
Now Christmas has arrived and the snow turns the ground white
Hear carols from the trenches, we sing O holy night
Our guns laid to rest among snowflakes
A Christmas in the trenches, a Christmas on the front far from home

Madness
Oh I remember the sadness
We were hiding our tears
In a foreign land where we faced our fears
We were soldiers
Carried the war on our shoulders
For our nations
Is that why we bury our friends?

We were all, we were all, we were all, we were all friends

And today we’re all brothers
Tonight we’re all friends
A moment of peace in a war that never ends
Today we’re all brothers
We drink and unite
Now Christmas has arrived and the snow turns the ground white
Hear carols from the trenches, we sing O holy night
Our guns laid to rest among snowflakes
A Christmas in the trenches, a Christmas on the front far from home

We were all, we were all, we were all, we were all friends

And today we’re all brothers
Tonight we’re all friends
A moment of peace in a war that never ends
Today we’re all brothers
We drink and unite
Now Christmas has arrived and the snow turns the ground white
A Christmas on the frontline, we walk among our friends, we don’t think about tomorrow, the battle will commence
When we celebrated Christmas, we thought about our friends, those who never made it home, when the battle had commenced.

[callate]

i cant kill someone that i just playd football with

[jinglejangle]

this is the best fact of all the wars! Merry Christmas!

[lkaltpsykfll]

And today we're all brothers
Tonight we're all friеnds
A moment of peace in a war that nеver ends
Today we're all brothers
We drink and unite
Now Christmas has arrived and the snow turns the ground white.

[tommysu]

The men that tried to kill each other come together and sing Christmas songs! How lovely

[omarbaba]

This event produced the best Christmas ad ever

[Garnansoa]

My grandfather was on the western front celebrating christmas that Day!

[itsnotwhatyouthink]

We are all
We are all
We are all
We are all friends!!!

And tonight we're all brothers and tonight we're all friends! A moment of peace in a war that never ends. today we're all brothers we drink and unite! Now Christmas has arrived as the snow turns the ground to white! Hear the carols from the trenches. We sing the holy night! As our guns laid to rest in the snowflake a Christmas in the trenches a Christmas far from home!!!!