Silent Night : The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce

From an acclaimed military historian comes the astonishing story of World War I's 1914 Christmas truce—a spontaneous celebration when enemies became friends. It was one of history's most powerful—yet forgotten—Christmas stories. It took place in the improbable setting of the mud, cold rain, and senseless killing of the trenches of World War I. It happened in spite of orders to the contrary by superiors. It happened in spite of language barriers. And it still stands as the only time in history that peace spontaneously arose from the lower ranks in a major conflict, bubbling up to the officers and temporarily turning sworn enemies into friends. Silent Night, by renowned military historian Stanley Weintraub, magically restores the 1914 Christmas Truce to history. It had been lost in the tide of horror that filled the battlefields of Europe for months and years afterward. Yet, in December 1914, the Great War was still young, and the men who suddenly threw down their arms and came together across the front lines—to sing carols, exchange gifts and letters, eat and drink and even play friendly games of soccer—naively hoped that the war would be short-lived, and that they were fraternizing with future friends. It began when German soldiers lit candles on small Christmas trees, and British, French, Belgian, and German troops serenaded each other on Christmas Eve. Soon they were gathering and burying the dead, in an age-old custom of truces. But as the power of Christmas grew among them, they broke bread, exchanged addresses and letters, and expressed deep admiration for one another. When angry superiors ordered them to recommence the shooting, many men aimed harmlessly high overhead. Sometimes the greatest beauty emerges from deep tragedy. Surely the forgotten Christmas Truce was one of history's most beautiful moments, made all the more beautiful in light of the carnage that followed it. Stanley Weintraub's moving re-creation demonstrates that peace can be more fragile than war, but also that ordinary men can bond with one another despite all efforts of politicians and generals to the contrary. From An Acclaimed Historian And National Book Award Finalist Comes The Poignant Story Of World War I's 1914 Christmas Truce, The Spontaneous And Tantalizingly Brief Moment When Mortal Enemies Came Together As Friends. Photos. Illustrations. It Was One Of History's Most Powerful, Yet Forgotten- Christmas Stories. It Took Place In The Improbable Setting Of The Mud, Cold Rain And Senseless Killing Of The Trenches Of World War I. It Happened In Spite Of Orders To The Contrary By Superiors; It Happened In Spite Of Language Barriers. And It Still Stands As The Only Time In History That Peace Spontaneously Arose From The Lower Ranks In A Major Conflict, Bubbling Up To The Officers And Temporarily Turning Sworn Enemies Into Friends. Silent Night, By Renowned Military Historian Stanley Weintraub, Magically Restores The 1914 Christmas Truce To History. It Had Been Lost In The Tide Of Horror That Filled The Battlefields Of Europe For Months And Years Afterward.^ Yet In December 1914 The Great War Was Still Young, And The Men Who Suddenly Threw Down Their Arms And Came Together Across The Front Lines, To Sing Carols, Exchange Gifts And Letters, Eat And Drink And Even Play Friendly Games Of Soccer, Naively Hoped That The War Would Be Short-lived, And That They Were Fraternizing With Future Friends. It Began When German Soldiers Lit Candles On Small Christmas Trees, And British, French, Belgian And German Troops Serenaded Each Other On Christmas Eve. Soon They Were Gathering And Burying The Dead, In An Age-old Custom Of Truces. But As The Power Of Christmas Grew Among Them, They Broke Bread, Exchanged Addresses And Letters And Expressed Deep Admiration For One Another. When Angry Superiors Ordered Them To Recommence The Shooting, Many Men Aimed Harmlessly High Overhead. Sometimes The Greatest Beauty Emerges From Deep Tragedy.^ Surely The Forgotten Christmas Truce Was One Of History's Most Beautiful Moments, Made All The More Beautiful In Light Of The Carnage That Followed It. Stanley Weintraub's Moving Re-creation Demonstrates That Peace Can Be More Fragile Than War, But Also That Ordinary Men Can Bond With One Another Despite All Efforts Of Politicians And Generals To The Contrary. An Outbreak Of Peace -- Christmas Eve -- The Dead -- Our Friends, The Enemy -- Football -- How It Ended -- What If? Stanley Weintraub. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 177-195) And Index. "It was one of history's most powerful - yet forgotten - Christmas stories. It took place in the improbable setting of the mud, cold rain and senseless killing of the trenches of World War I. It happened in spite of orders to the contrary by superiors; it happened in spite of language barriers. And it still stands as the only time in history that peace spontaneously arose from the lower ranks in a major conflict, bubbling up to the officers and temporarily turning sworn enemies into friends.". "It began when German soldiers lit candles on small Christmas trees, and British, French, Belgian and German troops serenaded each other on Christmas Eve. Soon they were gathering and burying the dead, in an age-old custom of truces. But as the power of Christmas grew among them, they broke bread, exchanged addresses and letters and expressed deep admiration for one another. When angry superiors ordered them to recommence the shooting, many men aimed harmlessly high overhead."--BOOK JACKET. In the early months of World War I, on Christmas Eve, men on both sides laid down their arms and joined in a spontaneous celebration. Despite orders to continue shooting, the unofficial truce spread across the front lines. Even the participants found what they were doing incredible: Germans placed candlelit Christmas trees on trench parapets, warring soldiers sang carols, and men on opposing sides shared food parcels from home. They climbed from the trenches to meet in "No Man's Land" where they buried the dead, exchanged gifts, ate and drank together, and even played soccer. Throughout his narrative, Stanley Weintraub uses the recollections of the men who were thee, as well as their letters and diaries, to illuminate the fragile truce and bring to life this extraordinary moment in time. In December 1914, on both sides of the front lines in Flanders, astride the borders of Belgium and France, soldiers of two of Queen Victoria's grandsons, Kaiser Wilhelm II and George V, faced off from rows of trenches that augured a long war of attrition. Describes the spontaneous celebration that occurred in the trenches on Christmas Eve in 1914 during World War I, when participants on both sides briefly put aside their differences to exchange gifts, share food, and enjoy a brief moment of peace.