One hundred years ago, during the First World War, one of
the most amazing events in the history of modern warfare occurred.
For almost five months, British, French, and Belgian troops
had been engaged against the Germans in the bloodiest, most destructive
fighting ever to have occurred in Western Europe, each side slaughtering the
other in wholesale numbers. The fighting
had devolved into a mutual siege, with both sides entrenched – sometimes only
yards apart. In the no-man’s land
between the trenches the dead and wounded could not even be recovered for fear
that the recovery teams would be killed.
There was seemingly no trace of humanity left.
Yet, beginning on Christmas Eve, a brief peace came to the
Western Front. It began with Christmas
carols sung in the trenches – clearly audible to those on the other side. Then the small Christmas trees lit up, and
set at the top of the trenches. Finally
the offers—and tentative acceptances—to meet in the middle. There, among the artillery craters, in the
field of death, these enemies experienced one another’s humanity – exchanging
small gifts of chocolate and cigarettes; some even offering signed postcards. Wounded soldiers were recovered; many of the
dead were buried in peace.
It didn’t last, of course.
Military commands on both sides were infuriated by this fraternization –
and made sure it was not repeated in subsequent years of that tragic
conflict.
But for that one incredible moment …
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