Just after midnight on
Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in
World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.
At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man's-land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.
The so-called
Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.
Also on This Day
- Lead Story
- The Christmas Truce, 1914
- American Revolution
- Washington crosses the Delaware, 1776
- Automotive
- Layne Hall is born; will become oldest licensed driver in United States, 1880
- Civil War
- Union soldier Elisha Hunt Rhodes writes about Christmas, 1862
- Cold War
- Gorbachev resigns as president of the USSR, 1991
- Crime
- Young JonBenet Ramsey is murdered, 1996
- Disaster
- Christmas party in China turns deadly, 2000
- General Interest
- Christ is born?, 6 B.C.
- Hollywood
- To Kill a Mockingbird debuts, 1962
- Literary
- Jimmy Buffett departs on a cruise that inspires A Pirate Looks at Fifty, 1996
- Music
- Bing Crosby introduces "White Christmas" to the world, 1941
- Old West
- John Wesley Hardin kills over a card game, 1869
- Presidential
- Washington leads troops on raid at Trenton, New Jersey, 1776
- Sports
- Katie Hnida is first woman to play in Division I football game, 2002
- Vietnam War
- Harrison Salisbury reports on damage caused by U.S. bombing, 1966
- Linebacker II resumes after Christmas pause, 1972
- World War I
- Enemies exchange Christmas greetings, 1914
- World War II
- British surrender Hong Kong, 1941
Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.
The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. In 1915, the bloody conflict of World War I erupted in all its technological fury, and the concept of another Christmas Truce became unthinkable.
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