- cross-posted to:
- historyporn
- cross-posted to:
- historyporn
The truce occurred five months after hostilities had begun. Lulls occurred in the fighting as armies ran out of men and munitions and commanders reconsidered their strategies following the stalemate of the Race to the Sea and the indecisive result of the First Battle of Ypres. In the week leading up to 25 December, French, German and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. In some areas, men from both sides ventured into no man’s land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs. There were joint burial ceremonies and prisoner swaps, while several meetings ended in carolling. Men played games of football with one another…
Meanwhile the Canadians…
But seriously it was such a neat thing to happen. In subsequent years officers were told to prevent trying to fraternize.
I’m fairly certain Canada and Australia’s actions in WW1 were them basically cosponsoring the Geneva Convention
Canada was always weird. They’re shitting on Quebec now, but Quebec is the real Canada from back in the day.
Quebec also has a really weird victim complex. It’s like they think they’re the only bastion of French in the western hemisphere and they’re being actively hunted or something.