When Europe spiraled into war in the middle of 1914, just about everyone assumed this was just a minor conflict that would be over before the New Year. Hindsight shows just how horribly wrong they were.
As the soldiers waited in utter misery in the trenches, both sides of the conflict just prayed for warm food, dry feet, and to survive the ghastly war and go back home!
These men, so far away from home, didn't really care about the political powder-keg behind the cause of the war; they just knew that on the other side, there was an evil enemy, and that they had to kill that enemy.
But on the days leading up to Christmas 1914, thousands of belligerent soldiers developed a sort of "live and let live" mentality that the officers in the upper levels of both sides feared would lead to lazy soldiers.
British and German soldiers warily approached each other in the organically formed, somewhat accidental Christmas truce of 1914, and even though fighting was occurring all along the Western front in some areas, there were many pockets of peace to be found.
Most Germans could speak English at the time, so when one man said "Merry Christmas!" to his sworn enemy? It was hard to shoot at a man who was trying to shake your hand!
Soldiers who had sworn to kill were playing soccer, trading goods, buttons, pictures, and addresses. A German barber gave out free haircuts, and officers shared cigarettes. A German juggler gave a surreal impromptu performance in the middle of no man's land.
Unfortunately, when the upper levels of government and the Army heard about this truce, it was quickly abrogated and never occurred again.
For by the Christmas of 1915, mustard gas and new weapons made killing more anonymous and easier than ever in its deadly efficiency, and there was no longer any time for Christmas songs.
Warning: The video below contains graphic imagery that may be upsetting to some viewers.
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