Silent Night: The Story Of The Christmas Truce WW1 Christmas Truce Timeline
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Date: 2022-07-19
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Comments and reviews: 20
Eli
people are starting to be very divided on wither WWI & WWII should be taught in school in todays world. I believe that it should but I believe that yes their were horrible thing that happened and that should never happen again but in order to ensure that history does not repeat itself it should be taught to the younger generation. However i believe that just as much as we focus on the ugly we must focus on the good that happened in an ugly time. This is a prime example of the good because we saw the humanity in one another to draw peace for 1 day in the middle of a war for 1 day they put their differences aside and shook hands and played ball danced and sang songs together. This story has a very deep meaning that this world has lost a grasp on and that is even thou we disagree with someone it doesn't make them a horrible person we just have different views and that it doesn't mean we can't be cordial
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people are starting to be very divided on wither WWI & WWII should be taught in school in todays world. I believe that it should but I believe that yes their were horrible thing that happened and that should never happen again but in order to ensure that history does not repeat itself it should be taught to the younger generation. However i believe that just as much as we focus on the ugly we must focus on the good that happened in an ugly time. This is a prime example of the good because we saw the humanity in one another to draw peace for 1 day in the middle of a war for 1 day they put their differences aside and shook hands and played ball danced and sang songs together. This story has a very deep meaning that this world has lost a grasp on and that is even thou we disagree with someone it doesn't make them a horrible person we just have different views and that it doesn't mean we can't be cordial
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Tim
About firearm cleaning: Most of us are used to the idea of noncorrosive ammo. This is primarily due to noncorrosive primers which were invented in the 1920's, well after WW1/The Great War was over!
The primers of WW1 (and earlier) as well as the percussion caps of the 1800's (plus the fact that Black Powder produce Sulfurous Acid (which is weaker than Sulfuric Acid) mainly used Potassium Chlorate, which when the firing pin sets it off, produces a good hot flame to set of the powder (smokeless powder or black powder) and leaves Potassium Chloride (a type of salt) in your barrel and to a smaller degree other parts of the firearm.
That plus all the water and mud that the metal of the firearm is exposed to.
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About firearm cleaning: Most of us are used to the idea of noncorrosive ammo. This is primarily due to noncorrosive primers which were invented in the 1920's, well after WW1/The Great War was over!
The primers of WW1 (and earlier) as well as the percussion caps of the 1800's (plus the fact that Black Powder produce Sulfurous Acid (which is weaker than Sulfuric Acid) mainly used Potassium Chlorate, which when the firing pin sets it off, produces a good hot flame to set of the powder (smokeless powder or black powder) and leaves Potassium Chloride (a type of salt) in your barrel and to a smaller degree other parts of the firearm.
That plus all the water and mud that the metal of the firearm is exposed to.
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Isabel
You can tell these historians are atheists. Back then, mankind shared a decently common faith (Protestant, Catholic, Anglican, etc); and those faiths believed that no man should raise a weapon to another on the day our savior was born. This wasn't a bunch of guys who needed a day off. These were men who were naturally non-violent and good people showing kindness and compassion to their enemies. Yes, things changed during WWII, but also the propaganda machine had evolved. This was a once in a lifetime event that should not be lowered to such a level as 'they took a day off'. God's hand was at work here, begging them not to fight on one of the holiest days of the year.
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You can tell these historians are atheists. Back then, mankind shared a decently common faith (Protestant, Catholic, Anglican, etc); and those faiths believed that no man should raise a weapon to another on the day our savior was born. This wasn't a bunch of guys who needed a day off. These were men who were naturally non-violent and good people showing kindness and compassion to their enemies. Yes, things changed during WWII, but also the propaganda machine had evolved. This was a once in a lifetime event that should not be lowered to such a level as 'they took a day off'. God's hand was at work here, begging them not to fight on one of the holiest days of the year.
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Popcorn
I will acknowledge that it can be easy to be swept up by urge to link this event to the good in humanity. Even being aware of that and on top of these well-informed historians telling us they were professionals looking for a break, I still choose to believe their humanity took over. I still choose to believe if any (or at least most) were given the choice of war or peace, they would have made their peace with each other in those days. However, they were not given that choice. Those wealthy, important men sitting in comfort back home robbed those men of their humanity. All in the name of ambition.
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I will acknowledge that it can be easy to be swept up by urge to link this event to the good in humanity. Even being aware of that and on top of these well-informed historians telling us they were professionals looking for a break, I still choose to believe their humanity took over. I still choose to believe if any (or at least most) were given the choice of war or peace, they would have made their peace with each other in those days. However, they were not given that choice. Those wealthy, important men sitting in comfort back home robbed those men of their humanity. All in the name of ambition.
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Vanessa
How can God not exist when you hear about this beautiful moment when enemies celebrate Christ birthday together just how its suppose to be. Man kind was made for so much more than war. Brings me to tears and happiness for a beautiful miracle. Maybe there is hope for us all. For historians to say the Christmas truce meant nothing, it was an excuse to take a day off, is absolutely upsetting to me, how would these men know? They weren't even alive when the war happened. The letters from the soldiers on both side, clearly show it was much more than taking a day off.
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How can God not exist when you hear about this beautiful moment when enemies celebrate Christ birthday together just how its suppose to be. Man kind was made for so much more than war. Brings me to tears and happiness for a beautiful miracle. Maybe there is hope for us all. For historians to say the Christmas truce meant nothing, it was an excuse to take a day off, is absolutely upsetting to me, how would these men know? They weren't even alive when the war happened. The letters from the soldiers on both side, clearly show it was much more than taking a day off.
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LordEC911
Took a dark turn at the end. Hardened soldiers, who weren't there killing by their own accord, decided to a take a break and meet the enemy. Once things went back to normal, it wasn't about humanity or the happy hours you spent with the enemy, it was about kill or be killed and following orders again. Nothing more or less. Talking about the dark side of humanity in those men, is itself extremely cynical when you live to talk about them and never experienced what they went through.
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Took a dark turn at the end. Hardened soldiers, who weren't there killing by their own accord, decided to a take a break and meet the enemy. Once things went back to normal, it wasn't about humanity or the happy hours you spent with the enemy, it was about kill or be killed and following orders again. Nothing more or less. Talking about the dark side of humanity in those men, is itself extremely cynical when you live to talk about them and never experienced what they went through.
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Hawaii
Saxons killing Anglo Saxons, kinfolk slaughtering each other. Theyve been propagandized by the media to accept these greedy politicians to make laws that send their children to fight each other for the benefit of the international banksters. The kazarian mafia. Let us not fall into this trap allowing history to repeat itself. These ashkenazi people have manipulated us and funded both sides of the vast majority of most wars since the napoleonic era. CEASE FIRE choose peace.
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Saxons killing Anglo Saxons, kinfolk slaughtering each other. Theyve been propagandized by the media to accept these greedy politicians to make laws that send their children to fight each other for the benefit of the international banksters. The kazarian mafia. Let us not fall into this trap allowing history to repeat itself. These ashkenazi people have manipulated us and funded both sides of the vast majority of most wars since the napoleonic era. CEASE FIRE choose peace.
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kiran
I disagree with the historian who said the truce was not real. No it was more than that. It was a moment when men who transcended hatred and set foot into eternity, a dimension where hatred didn't exist, but pure love did. I may sound like a man with my head in the clouds, but to me it was a glimpse of how love can conquer hatred. Divided by nations, United by Christ. A hope that refuses to die that someday, just someday every spear will be bent into a ploughshare.
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I disagree with the historian who said the truce was not real. No it was more than that. It was a moment when men who transcended hatred and set foot into eternity, a dimension where hatred didn't exist, but pure love did. I may sound like a man with my head in the clouds, but to me it was a glimpse of how love can conquer hatred. Divided by nations, United by Christ. A hope that refuses to die that someday, just someday every spear will be bent into a ploughshare.
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wintersnoob
The sad thing is that after 1914 there was too much bloodshed, too much strife and such a thing would be unthinkable in the other years of the conflict. This example of what's best in humanity was unfortunately followed by what's worst about humanity. Millions lost their lives to it and more millions were left deeply scarred. The Western Front of WW1 was one of the darkest episodes in human history.
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The sad thing is that after 1914 there was too much bloodshed, too much strife and such a thing would be unthinkable in the other years of the conflict. This example of what's best in humanity was unfortunately followed by what's worst about humanity. Millions lost their lives to it and more millions were left deeply scarred. The Western Front of WW1 was one of the darkest episodes in human history.
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Gina
It's a beautiful story, but those two knuckle-dragging, war-mongering historians don't get it at all. They are such nationalists themselves, glorifying the war, that they would have probably never taken part in the truce. Don't believe their lies and that the soldiers didn't care about killing and just saw the truce as a chance to get a break. It was so much more than that.
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It's a beautiful story, but those two knuckle-dragging, war-mongering historians don't get it at all. They are such nationalists themselves, glorifying the war, that they would have probably never taken part in the truce. Don't believe their lies and that the soldiers didn't care about killing and just saw the truce as a chance to get a break. It was so much more than that.
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Travis
45: 16 I'm sorry but i strongly disagree. It wasn't that they got to do what they wanted to do. they got to be human for a day. They got to lay down their rifles, they got to stop having that horrible feeling of having to take a life and just genuinely enjoy the day. They were able to have a brief moment of remembering what it is like to be alive.
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45: 16 I'm sorry but i strongly disagree. It wasn't that they got to do what they wanted to do. they got to be human for a day. They got to lay down their rifles, they got to stop having that horrible feeling of having to take a life and just genuinely enjoy the day. They were able to have a brief moment of remembering what it is like to be alive.
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Ralph
Why is it our civilized society allows so few politicians to send us to death, destruction, inflation, economic disaster and yet we continue to support, pay and finance their madness we the people never have an opinion. Time to stop Washingtons madness at any cost before Joe Biden murders us all not just a tractor trailer full of illegal migrants.
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Why is it our civilized society allows so few politicians to send us to death, destruction, inflation, economic disaster and yet we continue to support, pay and finance their madness we the people never have an opinion. Time to stop Washingtons madness at any cost before Joe Biden murders us all not just a tractor trailer full of illegal migrants.
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knifelore1
This is an awesome story, I wish you will tell the one of the Southerner's calling a truce south of Kennesaw Mtn Ga. When they were fighting an the cannons caught the grass on fire, there were Yankee dead an injured in said field, an a truce was raised an both the North an South stacked arms an removed the injured, an helped bury the dead.
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This is an awesome story, I wish you will tell the one of the Southerner's calling a truce south of Kennesaw Mtn Ga. When they were fighting an the cannons caught the grass on fire, there were Yankee dead an injured in said field, an a truce was raised an both the North an South stacked arms an removed the injured, an helped bury the dead.
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DC
What is sooo sad about WWI is tens of millions died and millions more were severely maimed and/or left homeless. all for 1 man. Too bad these men did not fight the real enemies. the powers that be that used them as cannon fodder. They should have eliminated the men sending them to kill each other. Take them out. Go back home. Live a good life
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What is sooo sad about WWI is tens of millions died and millions more were severely maimed and/or left homeless. all for 1 man. Too bad these men did not fight the real enemies. the powers that be that used them as cannon fodder. They should have eliminated the men sending them to kill each other. Take them out. Go back home. Live a good life
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adam
LOL an amazing thing happens, two sides realizing that their opinion of what they are doing is both very much the same they are just on opposite sides and the real controversy (on one side at least) is with foot-ball. way to miss the mark.
Brings back that little fire of hope that humanity can still be great, even at it's worst.
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LOL an amazing thing happens, two sides realizing that their opinion of what they are doing is both very much the same they are just on opposite sides and the real controversy (on one side at least) is with foot-ball. way to miss the mark.
Brings back that little fire of hope that humanity can still be great, even at it's worst.
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Emil
Long before WW1 at the siege of Mafikeng During the 1st Boer war the Boerre used field artery to fire a Xmas pudding into Mafikeng. A town they besieged by the Boerre filled to the brim by the British army. The pudding was no more but a truce was called for Xmas. No fighting was done on that day
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Long before WW1 at the siege of Mafikeng During the 1st Boer war the Boerre used field artery to fire a Xmas pudding into Mafikeng. A town they besieged by the Boerre filled to the brim by the British army. The pudding was no more but a truce was called for Xmas. No fighting was done on that day
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WG
21: 00 This scenario had been played out 50 yrs earlier (ie: Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg. The lesson was not learned. They did not listen to George Santayana in 1905 Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The generals of World War I would prove Santayana's edict.
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21: 00 This scenario had been played out 50 yrs earlier (ie: Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg. The lesson was not learned. They did not listen to George Santayana in 1905 Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The generals of World War I would prove Santayana's edict.
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Ralph
Why is it so few politicians can cause so much death and destruction at the stroke of a pen? I am old, retired and a Vietnam era Vet and for the first time see a generation who refuse to continue to be the sacrificial lambs for overseas lost causes and not an act of war!
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Why is it so few politicians can cause so much death and destruction at the stroke of a pen? I am old, retired and a Vietnam era Vet and for the first time see a generation who refuse to continue to be the sacrificial lambs for overseas lost causes and not an act of war!
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Alsolmo
The truth of the matter is that these people out there in the trenches has much more incommon then the people that did send them there. Its so nice to see them out there having a laugh and celebrating instead of trying to killing each other.
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The truth of the matter is that these people out there in the trenches has much more incommon then the people that did send them there. Its so nice to see them out there having a laugh and celebrating instead of trying to killing each other.
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Jouni
This remember us Christmas wonders could happen anythere or anytime. Today this is not possible. And 24. 12. 1914 all was perfect that this was possible! I hope we don't forget this event and we learn live together! Sorry bad English.
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This remember us Christmas wonders could happen anythere or anytime. Today this is not possible. And 24. 12. 1914 all was perfect that this was possible! I hope we don't forget this event and we learn live together! Sorry bad English.
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