When the outbreak of war began in August 1914, the consensus of opinion was that the war would not last past Christmas. Unfortunately, WWI would become a global conflict, which would eventually lead to WWII, and can be attributed with more than 3 million military dead and 900,000 civilians dead.

As the war progressed, it evolved into a deadlock of trench warfare with each side trying new technology to break the stalemate. Aircraft bombing, tanks and poison gas were employed to tragic effect. Trenches were filled knee deep with mud and water that soldiers had to stand in without relief. Rats were everywhere and the constant shelling led to massive amounts of shell shock among the soldiers.

It is hard to imagine that within this nightmare scenario there was an event so miraculous that it would be recorded and remembered as the Christmas Truce of 1914.

British private Marmaduke Walkinton was at the front line about 300 yards from the Germans.

He said his troops had been singing Christmas carols, and the Germans had been doing the same. He related that the British troops and German troops were shouting joking remarks at each other.

The Germans finally said to the British troops, “Tomorrow you no shoot, we no shoot.”

When Christmas morning came there was no shooting, so the British troops began to pop their heads up above the trench and they saw a German standing up, waving his arms. The Germans wanted to meet in No Man’s Land between the trenches and after a time the officers allowed a limited number of the troops to go to meet the Germans.

German artillery officer Mr. Rickner reminisced that the German and the French soldiers left their trenches, going to the barbed wire between them to exchange small gifts and souvenirs.

A few soldiers had cameras with them and documented the miraculous moment when both sides met. Several soldiers, on both sides, wrote home about the Christmas Truce.

Unfortunately, the high commands on both sides ordered an end to the truce when news finally reached them.

Even though the conflict continued, the miracle of an impromptu truce between two warring factions at Christmas time was a testament to the better natures of humankind.

If you would like to learn more, check out “Shooting at The Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914” by John Hendrix.