Firsthand testimonials reveal the true story of World War I's Christmas Truce between British and German troops in No Man's Land.
"One of them shouted 'A Merry Christmas English. We're not shooting tonight.' . . . [then] they stuck up a light. Not to be outdone, so did we. Then up went another. So, we shoved up another. Soon the lines looked like an illuminated fete." —Rifleman Leslie Walkington
On Christmas Eve 1914, a group of German soldiers laid down their arms, lit lanterns and started to sing Christmas carols. The British troops in nearby trenches responded by singing songs of their own. The next day, men from both sides met in No Man's Land. They shook hands, took photos and exchanged food and souvenirs. Some even played improvised football games, kicking around empty bully-beef cans and using helmets for goalposts. Both sides also saw the lull in fighting as a chance to bury the bodies of their comrades. In some parts of the front, the truce lasted a few hours. In others, it continued to the New Year. But everywhere, sooner or later, the fighting resumed.
Today, the Christmas Truce is seen as a poignant symbol of hope in a war that many people regard as unnecessary and futile. But what was the real story of those remarkable few days? In this fascinating book, historian Anthony Richards has brought together hundreds of first-hand reminiscences from those who were there—including previously unpublished German accounts—to cast fresh light on this extraordinary episode.
eBook - ePub
The True Story of the Christmas Truce
British and German Eyewitness Accounts from World War I
- 234 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
The True Story of the Christmas Truce
British and German Eyewitness Accounts from World War I
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Information
Subtopic
European HistoryIndex
HistoryTable of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Introduction
- 1 Digging In
- 2 Christmas Approaches
- 3 Christmas Eve in the British Sector
- 4 Christmas Day in the British Sector
- 5 The Christmas Truce Elsewhere
- 6 Boxing Day and Afterwards
- 7 Causes
- 8 Legacy
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
- Select Bibliography and Sources
- Plates section
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Yes, you can access The True Story of the Christmas Truce by Anthony Richards,Eva Burke in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & European History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.