What if the RAF had lost the Battle of Britain? Would the Brits have been overrun? Would the Nazis have won the Second World War? Top historians debate one of the biggest what-ifs in history: ua-cam.com/video/OaH2-g04cIA/v-deo.html
What if? It didn’t happen. This sort of debate belongs to fan fiction and alternative timeline fiction. This is not for history channels. What if Eve hadn’t convinced Adam to eat the fruit? What if Caesar hadn’t been murdered? What if Charlemagne had died in childbirth? Nonsense!
My great grandfather was there he always said that the Christmas of 1914 was the best of humanity to this day we put a German cigarette box on our tree that my great grandfather was gifted. To me that box is a reminder of the best of humanity
That is quite beautiful...I hope that this precious item will be handed down in your family and continue to receive the reverence that is its due. My grandfather served in the great war but I knew little and nothing of him and the stories as he died before I was born. Now that I'm older I wish that I could have learned of that period of history from his own mouth. Cheers from Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦.
Vimy Ridge battle was April 1917, Canadians releived the Brits there in October 1916..all armies more professional by then and Canadians were known for their aggression.....no truce then bud..
im not sure where my grandparents fought all i know is they survived WW1 and WW2. WW1 they wouldn't say a word so we know nothing about that and WW2 only told my uncle what they did which was im not sure what its called maybe a scout/minesweeper but he was the dude that would go on the motor bike and look for the best routes and clear traps before advancement and my other grandparent was paratrooper did the normandy landing and that grandparent only told my uncle he shouldn't be alive cause a mortar landed in their make shift camp while he was cooking for the group and it landed 2ft away from him but it didn't go off and also while he was cooking he could feel bullets wizzing past his head and his speculation on that was the german sniper trying to instate fear but nope he just kept on cooking anyways and thats all we know about my grand parents time in war. 3rd grand parent also in WW1&2 wouldn't say anything about either of them. sorry to drag this out but im proud of what they done just wish i could know more just even what a regular day was like for them and like who was goofy whipper snapper of the group, you know that kind of stuff
IMO The Christmas Truce was and still is one of the greatest events in human history. There's a unique aura about it that makes it so special and something that nobody will ever see again.
@@Trikovioz Pretty self explanatory. I mean it was a remarkable event in that era but it was short lived, has been exaggerated and dramatized -and FAR from of the "greatest events in human history". In fact it took place only on a few short segments of the front-and the alleged soccer game that so many talk about likely never took place. Many Soldiers in fact never left the trenches for fear of being court marshaled for fraternizing with the enemy. It was a remarkable moment in the war-but Not one the "greatest events in human history" and "something no one will ever see again."..I dont think Kid Fox had to explain that in detail .
@@theotter3852 I agree. It probably had 0 positive net gain in the wars outcome or humanity. There is also reason to believe that some used this opportunity to spy, gather information and map out the trenches ect...to exploit any weakness to destroy more of our fellow humans. It is very interesting though, how a human can be so easily forced to kill one another... figure out that it's not beneficial for self preservation...then immediately go back to killing one another.
continued.... The proof is when one German said to an Englishman.... "We are Saxons... you are Anglo-Saxons..... why are we fighting? Why can't we have peace and go home? "
I’m even more fed up with amoral governments adopting genocidal control in the name of social justice which causes young men to go to war. Namely, socialism like the National Socialists of Hitlers Germany, Soviet and Sino socialism that has killed MILLIONS in the name of re-education and social justice. Wars suck. Inaction to stop totalitarianism sucks more.
He didn't go deep or dark enough. Young men do that all on their own, it's a direct part of being human -- age has nothing to do with it. Two pieces of evidence: (1) chimps have wars -- nothing merely human about it -- and (2) studies prove that 2-year-olds are the most violent of humans. Of course, you become less violent and more controlled by the age you are 18-25, but still with war foundations. P.S. Study Japan completely crushing China without any reason in the 1930s in Nanking, for example. The things they did without reason in war was something else and is often seen as one of the worst things/periods in history. That was largely young men acting without orders to do such things. How do you explain that? I think the only way to explain it is biology, in-group bias, and Darwinism. One of the worst books ever written (in terms of the horrible nature of it) is about just that, you should read it and see how you feel afterwards -- that's it, if it doesn't crush your soul. Nanking, study it.
This isn’t the 1900’s , people can freely sign up to the army and by doing so they acknowledge that they will be given orders by politicians and old men
I think the quote still applies today. People freely sign up to the army only to die in wars dreamt up by old men. We know the useless and meaningless wars that young men died which were dreamt up by old men (politicians). WMD is one example.
I ansi have serious doubts about this war. The British had a blockaded Germany so tight that babies went hungry, The Germans had a blockade about Britain using submarines,. The Germans warned that only a limited number of passenger ships would be permitted each week, and they ran a newspaper ad to this effect.* The Lusitania sailed despite this, and then some Allied countries screamed when it was sunk,. *Some US Navy veterans believe that no one on the Allied side believed the Germans were capable of enforcing the blockade. Interestingly the Lusitania is reported to have carried material used in artillery shells.
@@techpriest2854 true words, every war could've been avoided through long talks and a greater understanding of each other. Total unnecessary lose of life for someone's greed and skewed views.
Deep down, most of us have no beef with each other. It's only when the people we consider our leaders start saying we have to fight does trouble start.
That is so wrong, it's shocking. You just rejected 150 years of biology and over 50,000 years of history since strong evidences of human battles began -- not to mention millions of years of primate wars (such as chimps). Ants also completely crush any out-group members, it's very common. Humans have in-group bias, which is just that. Very basic Darwinism with many sub-systems involved, for more you should study Jon Haidt and Bret Weinstein, not to mention Darwin, history, chimp studies (I think it was Jane Goodall), and psychology.
@@TheClassicWorld : Right on... reality check... yep, I have to totally agree with you. My Great uncle was at Wulverghem, Belgium during the '14 truce. Yes, sure, it was an interesting and entertaining break for them, but also an opportunity for the hardened old war-dogs to just simply fulfill their curiosity and get a close up look at who they were fighting. In the vid Mr Gillingham has it exactly right... they were happy and content enough to spend time chatting and fraternizing, but had absolutely no compunction to get back to slaughtering their 'fellow men' at the blink of an eye. Nice fuzzy ideals aside, sadly, that's the darker side of human nature.
Erich Maria Remarque said pretty much the same thing through his grizzeled vet Kat(Katchinski)tells the young soldiers that very same thing"put all the leaders,politicians and generals Kaizers,Kings Tzars,in a field and give them all a club,rope it of,and let them fight it out"and see how that would turn out,they would never do it,and lets not forget to throw in the cold blooded historians like in this show as well,and see if we all have dark souls.
@@KernowekTim it's not politics ...culturally and genetically Saxons and Germania were not the same. That's basically like saying the Vikings and Greeks are the same people lmao.
@@StfuIdiot-e6o You are so wrong comparing Viking/Greeks with Anglosaxons and continental saxons. Angeln, Saxons and frisians were all germanic tribes settling in northern Germany lower Saxony, parts of Westphalia and parts of todays Schleswig Holstein, parts of this tribes came to/invaded parts of the roman britain province (after the roman Legions were withdrawn to defend Italy) and settled in Britain, read history books stupid fool! Do you know why so many english words sounds like german or low german dialekt words , Sea/See, House/Haus, Mouse/Maus, Axe/Axt, Finger/Finger, Hand/Hand, Arm/Arm, Name/Name ............... some english words today sounds much more like the old dialect spoken in parts of northern germany over 1000 years ago or todays lower german dialect then todays high german because they have the same roots based on the old Sachsen/Saxon language. Mark is right apart from Welsh, Scottish and irish!
I am not even European but this story touched the part of me that the army does not care about. Living in a country constantly threatened by ethnic violence, I find myself appreciating the peace that exists when brother does not fight brother.
My great grandfather met the germans on Christmas eve , they were a prussian regiment and shouted across to us that we had fought together at Waterloo. My great grandfather said they didn't know why they were fighting each other and should go home. My great grandad was a territorial and machine gunner. Rip 🙏
@@NaraOfCambodia Waterloo was closer to 1915 than we are to even the end of WW1. It's way back now, but even a 40 year old in 1915 could have had a grandad that fought in Waterloo.
@@conburd3338 I think he means the regiment as opposed to personally being there. A lot of ex-servicemen have an identity within their regiment/service branch. It could well be that both of their corresponding regiments fought together at Waterloo to save Europe against Napoleon, but now they're adversaries which probably didn't feel too righteous to them (as someone previously mentioned, those wars weren't as far removed as we are to WW1) considering the magnitude of Waterloo and their shared hardships during the battle and war in general. I imagine it created a sense of camaraderie amongst strangers and once they conclude that the other side "aren't so bad" the doubt sets in as to why they're fighting in the first place.
That is the most correct phrase i have ever heard sir thank you from all the men and women who have fought and die in war because The Masters of War who make us play there stupid game.
My Great Grandfather was an officer of the German Army at the Eastern front in the first World War. After the peace treaty of Brest-Litowsk he was stationed on the Crimean peninsula and when news reached him in November 1918 of the whole war coming to an end with the Germans on the not so much winning side he knew that it was not much time left untill the Russians would show up and that he had to get his men and himself out asap. So what he did was to order his men to pack up all their stuff and make ready to get on the move. In the meantime he went to the railway station at Sewastopol and commandeered, pistol in hand, an entire train, including driver and directed it to the place where his men where already waiting. He managed to get everyone of his company, including all weapons and the military gear on that train and they started the long trip back home, from the Black Sea through the countries of Eastern Europe that were all in great turmoil. And so indeed he managed to bring all of them safely to Berlin, released his unit, after thanking them for their loyal service and sent the train with compliments home to mother Russia.
That is badass :) I shouldn't say that bc the Germans of that time were supposed to be my people's enemies :P But wow. I couldn't srsly take a side, knowing the history and how many times what we currently call Ruzzia has flipped. Same with Germany. And don't even get me started on how many invaders have tried to take over Crimea. The countries your great grandfather passed through have also been through so many ideological changes and so much upheaval... this would make a good movie, imo. You should do some research and try writing it down. Some film maker may buy the story from you and put your great grandfather's train jack and his journey up on the silver screen for us.
In 2014, 100 years after this remarkable event my partner Jenny and I visited the official memorial in France to the Christmas truce.. This I think is one of the most remarkable stories ever to come out of the happenings of warfare.
I saw several artefacts swapped at the truce and first learned of the truce at In Flanders Fields museum in Ypres, Belgium. I’m so glad this story keeps being told. Apparently, the men got into a lot of trouble for this and no fraternizing with the enemy was allowed, again, for the rest of the war.
Something to think about. Enemies that face each other across the feild of battle often have more in common with the enemy than they do with those that send them to kill each other .
My grandmother aged 17 lost her first husband in this war,as her dementia set in a few years ago she would sit and talk about him as if it was yesterday but sadly never knew us at all..
@@whiteonggoy7009 no harm meant mate, I just thought she was/is alive in these recent years, making her about 120, because you mentioned dementia setting in only a few years ago. I was impressed she lived that long. May she rest in peace.
@@erenjinchuriki it's ok,at my age a few years ago can mean long ago..in fact it was about 1990 I had the conversation with my mother.my grand mother passed away about 1993
It makes me sad when England and Germany (also France to some extent) were fighting wars against each other, I see them all in utter disgust as Germanic Civil Wars I hope in the future they all can put aside their differences and apologise to each other, then conquering together instead❤🏴🤝🏻🇩🇪🤝🏻🇫🇷
@@GermanicWorldOrder they have already put aside their differences, which by the way don't exist, there are no differences between Germans and English , they're the same west Germanic nation and it will last forever.
I have an old American folded flag from my great great grandfather from WW1, it hasn’t been unfolded in over 100 years. I can’t imagine what these men went through back then
Watching and listening to their stories during this unofficial/undeclared christmas ceasefire gives me the hibijibis and goosebumps all over my body. This is amazing. Thank you uploader for giving light to these men’s untold heroism. I pray that their scarifices wont be forgotten.
Not ashamed to say I cried watching this. both my mother’s maternal grandfather and my fathers maternal grandfather fought in France, one wasa Seaforth highlander, the other Gordon highlanders. and both survived. I have no idea if they took part in any truce or anything like that.
It's sad that after the truce they went back to killing each other. I thank the soldiers who fought in the Great War. Thank you soldiers! Danke soldaten! And Merry Christmas!⛄ Und Fröhliche Weihnachten!⛄
@@Berndog17 I heard somewhere that they had to put the soldiers that participated in the truce In different sectors and sometimes even different fronts!
A truly fantastic happening. Also I did read about another amazing truce. It happened during the Easter rising in Dublin in 1916. In the confrontation around the park known as St. Stephens Green. Both sides observed a temporary ceasefire to allow the park keeper to enter the park and feed the local ducks.
Very heartfelt and touching! Made me a little emotional! This really is something special. It’s just a shame that humanity allows politician's to start wars where millions of innocent people have to die
Great retelling of history. Thanks for the quality content. I'm sure many people watching have relatives that served in the Great War (WWI). They all deserve respect for their part in a different and large scaled war. Both sides. I personally have relatives that fought on both sides of WWI and WWII.
My grandfather Balogh almost fought on both sides. He had immigrated to the US shortly before World War I. First, the Austrian government called him up. He never had much use for emperors and, consequently, refused,. Right at the end of the war, the US government called him to duty. He reported for duty on the day World War I ended.
"The tragedy of modern war is that the young men die fighting each other -- instead of their real enemies back home in the capitals." --Edward Abbey Merry Christmas! Froehe Weihnachten!! Joyeux Noel!
I think as a new tradition; those who understand that the goodness of humanity is real and care to show people that kindness will prevail in these difficult times... everyone should adopt Merry Christmas Truce as the new hello across the world. As a Wiccan and Pagan, I lovingly say now to you all. Merry Christmas Truce.
Never seen such a beautiful story that actually happened. The true meaning of "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" That's pure love. My HUMANITY has been restored❤️ I personally want to thank this channel for making this video❤️
When things are so bad, and you're so cold. Imagine what a handwritten letter from your family would do for you. Be it from you mother, sister, brother, or father. A simple letter could mean so much.
Being a German myself I was shocked to learn that my (than fairly young) grand-dad fought against the English. HE never clearly understood why our "Saxons" should be fighting against our own cousins?(The anglo-saxons). God forbid, he never clearly found an answer.We should we wish them harm? Many questions remain, yet time heals all wounds.(I'd rather have an Englishman by my side in any situation regardless what so ever) than a frenchman as a ally..
I tend to agree. While I don't claim to be a history expert, when I study the Frankish Empire and the many centuries that followed it, including all of the wars and campaign against others in Europe, one wonders why anybody would ever side with the French in a war. Nothing against French people personally, but they always seem to be the instigators and stubborn ones in these conflicts.
Hm except Germany shares much more geopolitical common history with France than with the English. The Franks took over both geographical locations and the Carolingian empire was born out of it, once Charles the Great died and the empire was divided among it's sons the proto-version of our respective countries was born. West-Frankia and East-Frankia respectively, funnily enough and centuries later there was still going to be territorial disputes over the third kingdom ex-Lotharingia territories. The Angles were close to the Saxons of course, but the Franks were the one who gave birth to the geographical entity that will become France and Germany. It's not for nothing that my country is named after them, that your appellation of our land is literally called "land of the Franks" and you have a huge region called Franconia. We are much closer in origin that you might think. Everybody in Europe has complex relationships with France and I believe it's because we were the dominant force of Europe for centuries before the English took over and later Germany, also because we are/were quite ambitious, proud and stubborn and those are only qualities if you are on the same side, which is the case today between Germany and France. Anyway, I will leave you with this, which is something a German friend of my family said to us and that I find to be quite accurate. "Germany and France are like two brothers that both hate and love one another". Peace.
It makes me sad when England and Germany (also France to some extent) were fighting wars against each other, I see them all in utter disgust as Germanic Civil Wars I hope in the future they all can put aside their differences and apologise to each other, then conquering together instead❤🏴🤝🏻🇩🇪🤝🏻🇫🇷
@@piglin469 peace may spread but war is profitable. If there's a war the industry of a nation booms. The best a nation can be economically is at war. The best research can get is during war times. The only downside with war is the lives it takes and those that lose their livelihoods between warring nations. Peace is nice and all but it is within human nature to have conflicts. And that means the possibility of war is always imminent.
i know a guy who fought in the vietnam war. After the war, he returned to the vietnamese village where he fought in, to face his past. He told them he was here during the war. A vietnamese man ran up to him in a rage and tried to strangle him. He never fought back. The Vietnamese man's rage melted away, and then both men ended up hugging each other and crying. What a healing moment!
May Europe never experience such bloodshed amongst itself again. My heart goes out to all the men who laid down their arms, put their differences aside and engaged in the common culture so many of us share in celebrating Christmas.
I absolutely love the no BS rendition of this freak phenomenon that happened back in 1914 not appealing to our sentimental side but more of the primal instinct that us flawed human beings naturally gravitate towards..
In 1917 a British officer was asked if he remembered the Christmas Truce of 1914: “How could I forget it? I was never offsides! That was a terrible call!”
Even in a time of war, the power of christmas shows the light of what humanity is to be about, love, peace, goodwill, friendship and showing that Christmas is for everyone and that no matter what nation we come from... we are all "Brothers" and this moment in 1914 is felt to this day that only bonds us even more together in the current world. To all French, German and British, Merry Christmas and God bless.
I kinda don't like how the historians or what ever they are kind of dehumanize these soldiers. The way how they described these men going back to killing each other without a second though or a moment of hesitation is so disgusting. Like how do you know, you weren't there. If anything, I like to think, it's more along the lines of a sense of Duty towards your nation. After all, through out history you have had men of war who respected their enemies, some even considered each other a sort of friend, frenemies. They also understood their Duties to their nation/kingdom/people and wouldn't hesitate to kill each other if it came down to it.
Well I think the several cases of mutinies and refusal to attack after the truces speak for themselves. But yeah, to me this is the classic BBC style of history telling. Romanticized to the core, might be entertaining for some, but definitely damaging in many ways. Go watch the movie "Joyeux Noël" from 2005, that's a tad better. Still Romanticized, but with more care.
This is the comment I came looking for, totally agree. Throughout the whole documentary they read out letters from the soldiers that were actually there and they sounded very human to me, not sure why they tried to contradict everything that had been said before hand.
This is a very true, touching, & spontaneous story of the WW1 Christmas Truce in 1914 on the Western Front in France between the British & the German Armed forces.
Had everyone just up and went home that day there either would have been a court martial of unfathomable proportions or perhaps the greatest "people's peace" peace of all time, something you could not even come up with in a fiction, and which would have made all the accomplishments of humanity up until that point seem insignificant
What a great story. I can't imagine how such a swelling of humanity could come from such inhumane conditions. Maybe there's some hope for humankind, after all.
I love how this isn’t an American story, or a German Story, or a British Story, or even that much a story about war, this is a story about Christmas, and a pure example of how great humans can be to each other🎄
If I had a time machine I would go back to this night and find out who the first man to step over the trench and put their life on the line for such a human moment in our history.
I'd ask him why he thinks its appropriate to eat chocolate and play futbol with the men invading their allies' homelands while enslaving and murdering their civilians.
The last scene where the British soldier gets kicked in the face with the football and the German soldier comes quickly to catch his balance is something for me.
Wow! This is emotionally moving! In the midst of a war, there's this moment of peace albeit short. I'm joyful to have known about the 1914 Christmas Truce! Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines!
its amazing how they had one day off on xmas day all shaking hands kicking a football around had me in tears its such a shame world war one didnt end there what amazing doc just amazing
United by their love of Christ and by celebrating the feast of when the world received God’s greatest gift, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christmas!!! What a remarkably beautiful, yet incredibly sad story. Great documentary.
Someday, and I don't know when that day will come, but someday, the brothers, instead of fighting each other, they will instead come together and fight those who truly deserve the beating.
When will man learn that only Love and Peace will sustain us. Pray for the Peace of God, surely He was present that day amongst a few who understood. 🙏🏽
It all comes down to this. Each side got a moment's reprieve from misery and death. If you're reading this Happy Holidays to you wherever you are whomever you are! God bless us all! 🙏🎄✌️
Wow so nice. Almost as though those in charge knew that the whole war was kind of unnecessary and really a way for those guys to play with their new war planes and weapons...
Let us never forget. These moments can be found again and can be maintained. We must resist those in power. They don't give a damn about us. It is up to us to care for each other.
@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.
V good documentary. Shows how sworn enemies can lay down arms and become human again for a brief time. Wars are dreamt up by old men and fought by young men.
The reality of heaven happened in this one moment in the physical Earth which was beautiful and godly that all men are brothers because we're all made of the same material and we all came from the first two.
This is what life should be, not sadness and war. The good in humanity is there, ambitious men bring evil to humanity and world...This was a nice video.
Isaiah 9:6 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, PRINCE of PEACE." - the Bible
Thank you for this incredible journey through this documentary; you were absolutely spot-on in the depiction of the War and the events. Having lived in France and Belgium and spent a great amount of time in Cambrai’s, the no-man’s-land, and Verdun and experiencing the chill, the cold, the dampness and wetness, is like nothing that I had ever experienced. I couldn’t imagine this warfare. When on the battle fields it was quite somber to see how close the trenches were. A must-see location in your life time and if you are lucky you may be able to acquire “Trench Art,” which is still being found by local famers today.
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
What if the RAF had lost the Battle of Britain? Would the Brits have been overrun? Would the Nazis have won the Second World War?
Top historians debate one of the biggest what-ifs in history: ua-cam.com/video/OaH2-g04cIA/v-deo.html
What if? It didn’t happen. This sort of debate belongs to fan fiction and alternative timeline fiction. This is not for history channels. What if Eve hadn’t convinced Adam to eat the fruit? What if Caesar hadn’t been murdered? What if Charlemagne had died in childbirth? Nonsense!
America would have had more targets. Made all of europe glow bright green
@@Colin-Fenix Good point! We should not be dwelling on things that might have been.
Hhh
@Luka F raw
My great grandfather was there he always said that the Christmas of 1914 was the best of humanity to this day we put a German cigarette box on our tree that my great grandfather was gifted. To me that box is a reminder of the best of humanity
😥😭
Nice
Heartbreaking story😔 And I hope your great grandfather survived the war.
That is unspeakably cool!! Thank you for sharing!
That is quite beautiful...I hope that this precious item will be handed down in your family and continue to receive the reverence that is its due. My grandfather served in the great war but I knew little and nothing of him and the stories as he died before I was born. Now that I'm older I wish that I could have learned of that period of history from his own mouth. Cheers from Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦.
My Grandfather was at Vimy Ridge and he told me about this happening when I was young. He was a signalman and courier and my Hero.
Vimy Ridge battle was April 1917, Canadians releived the Brits there in October 1916..all armies more professional by then and Canadians were known for their aggression.....no truce then bud..
I wish I could thank him for his service. Canada Proud! 🇨🇦
im not sure where my grandparents fought all i know is they survived WW1 and WW2. WW1 they wouldn't say a word so we know nothing about that and WW2 only told my uncle what they did which was im not sure what its called maybe a scout/minesweeper but he was the dude that would go on the motor bike and look for the best routes and clear traps before advancement and my other grandparent was paratrooper did the normandy landing and that grandparent only told my uncle he shouldn't be alive cause a mortar landed in their make shift camp while he was cooking for the group and it landed 2ft away from him but it didn't go off and also while he was cooking he could feel bullets wizzing past his head and his speculation on that was the german sniper trying to instate fear but nope he just kept on cooking anyways and thats all we know about my grand parents time in war. 3rd grand parent also in WW1&2 wouldn't say anything about either of them. sorry to drag this out but im proud of what they done just wish i could know more just even what a regular day was like for them and like who was goofy whipper snapper of the group, you know that kind of stuff
@@eibbor171 check ( pathfinder's)
You should be very proud of your uncle very worthy hero
IMO The Christmas Truce was and still is one of the greatest events in human history. There's a unique aura about it that makes it so special and something that nobody will ever see again.
IMO I strongly disagree
@@kidfox3971 Would kind of expect a counterargument but that's cool too, I guess
@@Trikovioz Pretty self explanatory. I mean it was a remarkable event in that era but it was short lived, has been exaggerated and dramatized -and FAR from of the "greatest events in human history". In fact it took place only on a few short segments of the front-and the alleged soccer game that so many talk about likely never took place. Many Soldiers in fact never left the trenches for fear of being court marshaled for fraternizing with the enemy. It was a remarkable moment in the war-but Not one the "greatest events in human history" and "something no one will ever see again."..I dont think Kid Fox had to explain that in detail .
You said it :) If I had been there it would have been a big old cuddle and a smoke :)
@@theotter3852 I agree. It probably had 0 positive net gain in the wars outcome or humanity. There is also reason to believe that some used this opportunity to spy, gather information and map out the trenches ect...to exploit any weakness to destroy more of our fellow humans. It is very interesting though, how a human can be so easily forced to kill one another... figure out that it's not beneficial for self preservation...then immediately go back to killing one another.
“I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.”
― George McGovern
continued....
The proof is when one German said to an Englishman.... "We are Saxons... you are Anglo-Saxons..... why are we fighting? Why can't we have peace and go home? "
I’m even more fed up with amoral governments adopting genocidal control in the name of social justice which causes young men to go to war. Namely, socialism like the National Socialists of Hitlers Germany, Soviet and Sino socialism that has killed MILLIONS in the name of re-education and social justice. Wars suck. Inaction to stop totalitarianism sucks more.
He didn't go deep or dark enough. Young men do that all on their own, it's a direct part of being human -- age has nothing to do with it.
Two pieces of evidence: (1) chimps have wars -- nothing merely human about it -- and (2) studies prove that 2-year-olds are the most violent of humans. Of course, you become less violent and more controlled by the age you are 18-25, but still with war foundations.
P.S. Study Japan completely crushing China without any reason in the 1930s in Nanking, for example. The things they did without reason in war was something else and is often seen as one of the worst things/periods in history. That was largely young men acting without orders to do such things. How do you explain that? I think the only way to explain it is biology, in-group bias, and Darwinism. One of the worst books ever written (in terms of the horrible nature of it) is about just that, you should read it and see how you feel afterwards -- that's it, if it doesn't crush your soul. Nanking, study it.
This isn’t the 1900’s , people can freely sign up to the army and by doing so they acknowledge that they will be given orders by politicians and old men
I think the quote still applies today. People freely sign up to the army only to die in wars dreamt up by old men. We know the useless and meaningless wars that young men died which were dreamt up by old men (politicians). WMD is one example.
This war should never have happened. My respect and sympathy for every poor young soul that perished on every side in this horrible war.
I ansi have serious doubts about this war. The British had a blockaded Germany so tight that babies went hungry, The Germans had a blockade about Britain using submarines,. The Germans warned that only a limited number of passenger ships would be permitted each week, and they ran a newspaper ad to this effect.* The Lusitania sailed despite this, and then some Allied countries screamed when it was sunk,.
*Some US Navy veterans believe that no one on the Allied side believed the Germans were capable of enforcing the blockade. Interestingly the Lusitania is reported to have carried material used in artillery shells.
no war should ever happen as it is a horrible waste of life
@@varschnitzschnur8795 lusitania was bad though
@@techpriest2854 true words, every war could've been avoided through long talks and a greater understanding of each other. Total unnecessary lose of life for someone's greed and skewed views.
It created the world we live in today who knows how the world would have been if the two didnt happen
Deep down, most of us have no beef with each other. It's only when the people we consider our leaders start saying we have to fight does trouble start.
And it's the leaders who most of time don't make the sacrifice yet they make the wars. They are the last ones to bleed for their country.
@@mish375 . C’est la vie.
@@edwardoleyba3075 Oui. That is very true.
That is so wrong, it's shocking. You just rejected 150 years of biology and over 50,000 years of history since strong evidences of human battles began -- not to mention millions of years of primate wars (such as chimps). Ants also completely crush any out-group members, it's very common. Humans have in-group bias, which is just that. Very basic Darwinism with many sub-systems involved, for more you should study Jon Haidt and Bret Weinstein, not to mention Darwin, history, chimp studies (I think it was Jane Goodall), and psychology.
@@TheClassicWorld : Right on... reality check... yep, I have to totally agree with you. My Great uncle was at Wulverghem, Belgium during the '14 truce. Yes, sure, it was an interesting and entertaining break for them, but also an opportunity for the hardened old war-dogs to just simply fulfill their curiosity and get a close up look at who they were fighting. In the vid Mr Gillingham has it exactly right... they were happy and content enough to spend time chatting and fraternizing, but had absolutely no compunction to get back to slaughtering their 'fellow men' at the blink of an eye. Nice fuzzy ideals aside, sadly, that's the darker side of human nature.
The elder historian is so into it, I love his passion and emotion to tell the story
I was looking for this comment. His enthusiasm is absolutely riveting. He's making this documentary.
I would just love to sit and listen to him all day talking history
I know! Wish I had him as a teacher in high school. His enthusiasm is contagious
same here, you can see how much he loved this story
He seemed a little too passionate about going back to war.
why dont we just make the politicians fight together and leave us civilians alone
hunger games for politicians. down!
Erich Maria Remarque said pretty much the same thing through his grizzeled vet Kat(Katchinski)tells the young soldiers that very same thing"put all the leaders,politicians and generals Kaizers,Kings Tzars,in a field and give them all a club,rope it of,and let them fight it out"and see how that would turn out,they would never do it,and lets not forget to throw in the cold blooded historians like in this show as well,and see if we all have dark souls.
It’s because no one would fight Putin
because a lot of the time the civilians choose to be in the army and choose to fight for the place they call home.
@@MilqOG Putin isn’t even strong he just has a lot of power
"You are anglo saxons and we are saxons. Why are we fighting?" Never were truer words spoken. No more brothers wars!
“You are human, we are human. Why are we fighting?” No more wars at all 🙏
They actually aren't both Anglo Saxons? Germania and Saxons were not the same people lmao. Moron
Politics
@@KernowekTim it's not politics ...culturally and genetically Saxons and Germania were not the same. That's basically like saying the Vikings and Greeks are the same people lmao.
@@StfuIdiot-e6o You are so wrong comparing Viking/Greeks with Anglosaxons and continental saxons.
Angeln, Saxons and frisians were all germanic tribes settling in northern Germany lower Saxony, parts of Westphalia and parts of todays Schleswig Holstein, parts of this tribes came to/invaded parts of the roman britain province (after the roman Legions were withdrawn to defend Italy) and settled in Britain, read history books stupid fool! Do you know why so many english words sounds like german or low german dialekt words , Sea/See, House/Haus, Mouse/Maus, Axe/Axt, Finger/Finger, Hand/Hand, Arm/Arm, Name/Name ............... some english words today sounds much more like the old dialect spoken in parts of northern germany over 1000 years ago or todays lower german dialect then todays high german because they have the same roots based on the old Sachsen/Saxon language.
Mark is right apart from Welsh, Scottish and irish!
I am not even European but this story touched the part of me that the army does not care about. Living in a country constantly threatened by ethnic violence, I find myself appreciating the peace that exists when brother does not fight brother.
Touching words. I hope these holidays are good to you, your family, and the rest of your country.
So erotic yet so sensitive
@@joejones8776 thank you ☺️. Happy holidays
@@mattwilliam5522 😊😊
The world over its poor fighting poor at the command of the rich. The only thing the common folk want is a peaceful life. I hope you stay safe mate!
My great grandfather met the germans on Christmas eve , they were a prussian regiment and shouted across to us that we had fought together at Waterloo. My great grandfather said they didn't know why they were fighting each other and should go home. My great grandad was a territorial and machine gunner. Rip 🙏
Waterloo?
@@ThiefKingofLegend Is this wayyyyyy back during Napoleon?
@@NaraOfCambodia Yea they were bringing up how they fought together against napoleon at Waterloo
@@NaraOfCambodia Waterloo was closer to 1915 than we are to even the end of WW1. It's way back now, but even a 40 year old in 1915 could have had a grandad that fought in Waterloo.
@@conburd3338 I think he means the regiment as opposed to personally being there. A lot of ex-servicemen have an identity within their regiment/service branch. It could well be that both of their corresponding regiments fought together at Waterloo to save Europe against Napoleon, but now they're adversaries which probably didn't feel too righteous to them (as someone previously mentioned, those wars weren't as far removed as we are to WW1) considering the magnitude of Waterloo and their shared hardships during the battle and war in general. I imagine it created a sense of camaraderie amongst strangers and once they conclude that the other side "aren't so bad" the doubt sets in as to why they're fighting in the first place.
THE CLASSIC REVELATION THAT THE 'MEN' OF WAR ARE MEN ... THE 'MASTERS' OF WAR ARE MONSTERS!
Hear Hear !!!
That is the most correct phrase i have ever heard sir thank you from all the men and women who have fought and die in war because The Masters of War who make us play there stupid game.
@JONATHAN SUTCLIFFE too true brother its always the innosent who pay the price of the wicked.
My Great Grandfather was an officer of the German Army at the Eastern front in the first World War. After the peace treaty of Brest-Litowsk he was stationed on the Crimean peninsula and when news reached him in November 1918 of the whole war coming to an end with the Germans on the not so much winning side he knew that it was not much time left untill the Russians would show up and that he had to get his men and himself out asap. So what he did was to order his men to pack up all their stuff and make ready to get on the move. In the meantime he went to the railway station at Sewastopol and commandeered, pistol in hand, an entire train, including driver and directed it to the place where his men where already waiting. He managed to get everyone of his company, including all weapons and the military gear on that train and they started the long trip back home, from the Black Sea through the countries of Eastern Europe that were all in great turmoil. And so indeed he managed to bring all of them safely to Berlin, released his unit, after thanking them for their loyal service and sent the train with compliments home to mother Russia.
What a brave man, a decision like this could have cost him his life. I hope that he has lived to tell it..
Beautiful story and a great man!
Thank you for your story,I enjoyed it very much.
That is badass :) I shouldn't say that bc the Germans of that time were supposed to be my people's enemies :P But wow. I couldn't srsly take a side, knowing the history and how many times what we currently call Ruzzia has flipped. Same with Germany. And don't even get me started on how many invaders have tried to take over Crimea. The countries your great grandfather passed through have also been through so many ideological changes and so much upheaval... this would make a good movie, imo. You should do some research and try writing it down. Some film maker may buy the story from you and put your great grandfather's train jack and his journey up on the silver screen for us.
It's a clashed of leaders around the world not a clash of everyone. So they felt brotherhood even amidst war. Be at peace
In 2014, 100 years after this remarkable event my partner Jenny and I visited the official memorial in France to the Christmas truce.. This I think is one of the most remarkable stories ever to come out of the happenings of warfare.
I saw several artefacts swapped at the truce and first learned of the truce at In Flanders Fields museum in Ypres, Belgium. I’m so glad this story keeps being told. Apparently, the men got into a lot of trouble for this and no fraternizing with the enemy was allowed, again, for the rest of the war.
If that was in the U.S. THE "NO IDEA LEFT" WOULD HAVE IT TAKEN DOWN.
Something to think about. Enemies that face each other across the feild of battle often have more in common with the enemy than they do with those that send them to kill each other .
My grandmother aged 17 lost her first husband in this war,as her dementia set in a few years ago she would sit and talk about him as if it was yesterday but sadly never knew us at all..
That is so sad!😢
Your grandmother is about 120 years old?
@@erenjinchuriki dead now long ago....what you mean by your remark?
@@whiteonggoy7009 no harm meant mate, I just thought she was/is alive in these recent years, making her about 120, because you mentioned dementia setting in only a few years ago. I was impressed she lived that long. May she rest in peace.
@@erenjinchuriki it's ok,at my age a few years ago can mean long ago..in fact it was about 1990 I had the conversation with my mother.my grand mother passed away about 1993
I love this story! God Bless all my German and English Brothers. From an American🙏
"No.The army doesn't care about your soul."#BestLine
"I am Anglo and you're Saxons. Why are we fighting each other?" I nearly cried. You see I am part Anglo-Saxon through England.
cried like a baby the moment they moved out of the trench.... these men deserved a long, peaceful and happy life....
Would it be easier if one side was dark skinned? Is that your point?
@@tombryan1 You seem to be keen on making it a point. Nice try, though.
Merry Christmas, have a nice day and great mood.
Greetings from Russia
Merry Christmas from Canada!
And from Scotland :)
and from New Zealand, peace on Earth :-)
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Ontario, Canada. 🙂
Merry Christmas back to you from Germany!
Merry Christmas. And no more brother wars!
Watch my videos
@@vinayakbiradar1424 No
Amen Glenn!🙏✝️
Except for commies, they dont care or respect Christmas.
Amenn..Merry Christmas btw🙏🎄
This was the most incredible thing to ever happen. I get chills and tear up whenever I read about it or see a documentary about it.
as a german, this is my fav story. such a shame we never had that in school. imagine when this would have end the war.
It makes me sad when England and Germany (also France to some extent) were fighting wars against each other, I see them all in utter disgust as Germanic Civil Wars
I hope in the future they all can put aside their differences and apologise to each other, then conquering together instead❤🏴🤝🏻🇩🇪🤝🏻🇫🇷
@@GermanicWorldOrder they have already put aside their differences, which by the way don't exist, there are no differences between Germans and English , they're the same west Germanic nation and it will last forever.
I have an old American folded flag from my great great grandfather from WW1, it hasn’t been unfolded in over 100 years. I can’t imagine what these men went through back then
"The universe generally fails to be a fairy tale, but that's where we come in."-Doctor Who.
Thank goodness I'm not the only one that thought that
Watching and listening to their stories during this unofficial/undeclared christmas ceasefire gives me the hibijibis and goosebumps all over my body. This is amazing. Thank you uploader for giving light to these men’s untold heroism. I pray that their scarifices wont be forgotten.
Thank you for showing me how to spell 'hibijibis'!
Not ashamed to say I cried watching this.
both my mother’s maternal grandfather and my fathers maternal grandfather fought in France, one wasa Seaforth highlander, the other Gordon highlanders. and both survived. I have no idea if they took part in any truce or anything like that.
Their memories are never forgotten.
It's sad that after the truce they went back to killing each other. I thank the soldiers who fought in the Great War. Thank you soldiers! Danke soldaten!
And Merry Christmas!⛄
Und Fröhliche Weihnachten!⛄
I think that's what makes it so special. The war wasn't over, their fight wasn't over.
apparently most of the troops that participated in the truce refused to fight for weeks
@@Berndog17 I heard somewhere that they had to put the soldiers that participated in the truce In different sectors and sometimes even different fronts!
@@jakey4318 That makes it more wholesome
A truly fantastic happening. Also I did read about another amazing truce. It happened during the Easter rising in Dublin in 1916. In the confrontation around the park known as St. Stephens Green. Both sides observed a temporary ceasefire to allow the park keeper to enter the park and feed the local ducks.
The greatest bond among all of us is,our humanity.
No my dear the greatest is Love
This brought my tears.
Why explain
@@davexxochex your son Kepa is the worst goalkeeper I have ever seen
Me too
Very heartfelt and touching! Made me a little emotional! This really is something special. It’s just a shame that humanity allows politician's to start wars where millions of innocent people have to die
One of the greatest stories ever told about how we sent an Army to war and Christmas broke out.
Great retelling of history. Thanks for the quality content. I'm sure many people watching have relatives that served in the Great War (WWI). They all deserve respect for their part in a different and large scaled war. Both sides. I personally have relatives that fought on both sides of WWI and WWII.
My grandfather Balogh almost fought on both sides. He had immigrated to the US shortly before World War I. First, the Austrian government called him up. He never had much use for emperors and, consequently, refused,. Right at the end of the war, the US government called him to duty. He reported for duty on the day World War I ended.
True, its very rare ghat you here both sides of the story.
My grandfather on my mom's side fought in WWI. His lungs were badly damaged by the mustard gas.
"The tragedy of modern war is that the young men die fighting each other -- instead of their real enemies back home in the capitals." --Edward Abbey
Merry Christmas! Froehe Weihnachten!! Joyeux Noel!
I think as a new tradition; those who understand that the goodness of humanity is real and care to show people that kindness will prevail in these difficult times... everyone should adopt Merry Christmas Truce as the new hello across the world. As a Wiccan and Pagan, I lovingly say now to you all. Merry Christmas Truce.
Absolutely heartbreaking making friends only to have to kill eachother less than 12 hours later. True gentlemen and heroes on both sides.
This is an EXCELLENT documentary! Especially the one historian who is extremely enthusiastic and descriptive!
This is the best story of how inhumanity can seize and our humanity can come out at the worst of times.
Never seen such a beautiful story that actually happened. The true meaning of "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" That's pure love. My HUMANITY has been restored❤️ I personally want to thank this channel for making this video❤️
When things are so bad, and you're so cold. Imagine what a handwritten letter from your family would do for you. Be it from you mother, sister, brother, or father. A simple letter could mean so much.
Finding beauty in absolute chaos is a love in humanity we all should experience.
Being a German myself I was shocked to learn that my (than fairly young) grand-dad fought against the English. HE never clearly understood why our "Saxons" should be fighting against our own cousins?(The anglo-saxons).
God forbid, he never clearly found an answer.We should we wish them harm? Many questions remain, yet time heals all wounds.(I'd rather have an Englishman by my side in any situation regardless what so ever) than a frenchman as a ally..
I tend to agree. While I don't claim to be a history expert, when I study the Frankish Empire and the many centuries that followed it, including all of the wars and campaign against others in Europe, one wonders why anybody would ever side with the French in a war. Nothing against French people personally, but they always seem to be the instigators and stubborn ones in these conflicts.
Hm except Germany shares much more geopolitical common history with France than with the English. The Franks took over both geographical locations and the Carolingian empire was born out of it, once Charles the Great died and the empire was divided among it's sons the proto-version of our respective countries was born. West-Frankia and East-Frankia respectively, funnily enough and centuries later there was still going to be territorial disputes over the third kingdom ex-Lotharingia territories. The Angles were close to the Saxons of course, but the Franks were the one who gave birth to the geographical entity that will become France and Germany. It's not for nothing that my country is named after them, that your appellation of our land is literally called "land of the Franks" and you have a huge region called Franconia.
We are much closer in origin that you might think. Everybody in Europe has complex relationships with France and I believe it's because we were the dominant force of Europe for centuries before the English took over and later Germany, also because we are/were quite ambitious, proud and stubborn and those are only qualities if you are on the same side, which is the case today between Germany and France.
Anyway, I will leave you with this, which is something a German friend of my family said to us and that I find to be quite accurate. "Germany and France are like two brothers that both hate and love one another".
Peace.
It makes me sad when England and Germany (also France to some extent) were fighting wars against each other, I see them all in utter disgust as Germanic Civil Wars
I hope in the future they all can put aside their differences and apologise to each other, then conquering together instead❤🏴🤝🏻🇩🇪🤝🏻🇫🇷
Oh how I wish for peace on Earth.
Will never happen
@@prospectord8437 peace sells but whose buying?
@@prospectord8437 wishful thinking
@@prospectord8437 WELL yes but actually no Crismass truce was a small scale event but like war peace spreds as well
@@piglin469 peace may spread but war is profitable. If there's a war the industry of a nation booms. The best a nation can be economically is at war. The best research can get is during war times. The only downside with war is the lives it takes and those that lose their livelihoods between warring nations. Peace is nice and all but it is within human nature to have conflicts. And that means the possibility of war is always imminent.
I can understand this. After fighting in a war I met one of my former enemies. We became great friends and co workers.
i know a guy who fought in the vietnam war. After the war, he returned to the vietnamese village where he fought in, to face his past. He told them he was here during the war. A vietnamese man ran up to him in a rage and tried to strangle him. He never fought back. The Vietnamese man's rage melted away, and then both men ended up hugging each other and crying. What a healing moment!
May Europe never experience such bloodshed amongst itself again. My heart goes out to all the men who laid down their arms, put their differences aside and engaged in the common culture so many of us share in celebrating Christmas.
I'm crying, this is so beautifully composed.
Though it should fill me with hope, instead it fills me with sadness. No one wanted to fight. Yet they did.
Of all of the Christmas stories revisited every holiday season this one is one of my favorites.
I absolutely love the no BS rendition of this freak phenomenon that happened back in 1914 not appealing to our sentimental side but more of the primal instinct that us flawed human beings naturally gravitate towards..
One of the most moving documentaries I've watched. Beautiful.
Such a bitter sweet story
In 1917 a British officer was asked if he remembered the Christmas Truce of 1914:
“How could I forget it? I was never offsides! That was a terrible call!”
Even in a time of war, the power of christmas shows the light of what humanity is to be about, love, peace, goodwill, friendship and showing that Christmas is for everyone and that no matter what nation we come from... we are all "Brothers" and this moment in 1914 is felt to this day that only bonds us even more together in the current world. To all French, German and British, Merry Christmas and God bless.
MERRY CHRISTMAS WORLD - PEACE ON EARTH GOOD WILL TO ALL MEN -
I learned about this in high school and fell in love and did my final report on the Christmas truce..
I kinda don't like how the historians or what ever they are kind of dehumanize these soldiers. The way how they described these men going back to killing each other without a second though or a moment of hesitation is so disgusting. Like how do you know, you weren't there.
If anything, I like to think, it's more along the lines of a sense of Duty towards your nation. After all, through out history you have had men of war who respected their enemies, some even considered each other a sort of friend, frenemies. They also understood their Duties to their nation/kingdom/people and wouldn't hesitate to kill each other if it came down to it.
Well I think the several cases of mutinies and refusal to attack after the truces speak for themselves.
But yeah, to me this is the classic BBC style of history telling. Romanticized to the core, might be entertaining for some, but definitely damaging in many ways.
Go watch the movie "Joyeux Noël" from 2005, that's a tad better. Still Romanticized, but with more care.
This is the comment I came looking for, totally agree. Throughout the whole documentary they read out letters from the soldiers that were actually there and they sounded very human to me, not sure why they tried to contradict everything that had been said before hand.
Thanks!
This is a very true, touching, & spontaneous story of the WW1 Christmas Truce in 1914 on the Western Front in France between the British & the German Armed forces.
Had everyone just up and went home that day there either would have been a court martial of unfathomable proportions or perhaps the greatest "people's peace" peace of all time, something you could not even come up with in a fiction, and which would have made all the accomplishments of humanity up until that point seem insignificant
The utter futility of war emphasized by the fact that for a lot of countries it was the best way possible to keep their economies going
And very few understand this statement
What a great story. I can't imagine how such a swelling of humanity could come from such inhumane conditions. Maybe there's some hope for humankind, after all.
I am German and English. I am 56. This has made me weep. Men would not fight if not compelled. Merry Christmas on this fine March evening to you all.
I love how this isn’t an American story, or a German Story, or a British Story, or even that much a story about war, this is a story about Christmas, and a pure example of how great humans can be to each other🎄
Well it can't be an American story because this was long before they came over. I understand your sentiment though
This really is incredible..an absolute phenomenon for sure, but genuinely beautiful
If I had a time machine I would go back to this night and find out who the first man to step over the trench and put their life on the line for such a human moment in our history.
I'd ask him why he thinks its appropriate to eat chocolate and play futbol with the men invading their allies' homelands while enslaving and murdering their civilians.
Everytime when I was young we learnt about this and everytime it sends a shiver down my spine of how human everyone else that day it was beautiful.
Fascinating. If only the few hours of peace had spread, millions of lives would have been saved.
The last scene where the British soldier gets kicked in the face with the football and the German soldier comes quickly to catch his balance is something for me.
Wow! This is emotionally moving! In the midst of a war, there's this moment of peace albeit short. I'm joyful to have known about the 1914 Christmas Truce!
Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines!
not in the 379 years weve been taken over by other countries had we had a truce like this... wow
its amazing how they had one day off on xmas day all shaking hands kicking a football around had me in tears its such a shame world war one didnt end there what amazing doc just amazing
United by their love of Christ and by celebrating the feast of when the world received God’s greatest gift, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christmas!!! What a remarkably beautiful, yet incredibly sad story. Great documentary.
Absolutely AMEN to that. Let the peace of Jesus reign with you. Thanks for speaking the Truth and for your encouraging comment. LL 🙋🏻♀️✝❤
Such a touching history. God, love and kindness rule in people's mind for a short time.
The last Gentleman's war. Wars since then havr not been the same.
It's so remarkable how tough these guys are, I tap out over a tooth ache and yet these excited
Someday, and I don't know when that day will come, but someday, the brothers, instead of fighting each other, they will instead come together and fight those who truly deserve the beating.
This made me cry and have a new faith that opposite sides in war just want peace and to go home..
When will man learn that only Love and Peace will sustain us. Pray for the Peace of God, surely He was present that day amongst a few who understood. 🙏🏽
They prayed to the same god and got killed by the millions on both sides. Humanity and hardship is what lead to that moment, not your god.
It all comes down to this. Each side got a moment's reprieve from misery and death. If you're reading this Happy Holidays to you wherever you are whomever you are! God bless us all! 🙏🎄✌️
Wow so nice. Almost as though those in charge knew that the whole war was kind of unnecessary and really a way for those guys to play with their new war planes and weapons...
Watch my videos
I love the excitement you see in the historians face when telling it bless him!
This video uploaded on Christmas day - clever !
11:23 I love the soldier behind him smirking at the bully beef lol
Let us never forget. These moments can be found again and can be maintained. We must resist those in power. They don't give a damn about us. It is up to us to care for each other.
@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.
Soldiers deciding the damned war can wait....it's Christmas!
V good documentary. Shows how sworn enemies can lay down arms and become human again for a brief time. Wars are dreamt up by old men and fought by young men.
The reality of heaven happened in this one moment in the physical Earth which was beautiful and godly that all men are brothers because we're all made of the same material and we all came from the first two.
Love this channel. Balding historian with the glasses was enthralling.
I wish the war ended right on the Christmas Truce
Me too
This is what life should be, not sadness and war. The good in humanity is there, ambitious men bring evil to humanity and world...This was a nice video.
Very beautiful and touching story.
Isaiah 9:6 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, PRINCE of PEACE." - the Bible
Thank you for this incredible journey through this documentary; you were absolutely spot-on in the depiction of the War and the events. Having lived in France and Belgium and spent a great amount of time in Cambrai’s, the no-man’s-land, and Verdun and experiencing the chill, the cold, the dampness and wetness, is like nothing that I had ever experienced. I couldn’t imagine this warfare. When on the battle fields it was quite somber to see how close the trenches were. A must-see location in your life time and if you are lucky you may be able to acquire “Trench Art,” which is still being found by local famers today.
The small shred of humanity in a chaotic time. It puts a big smile on my face.
War, politics at its crudest.
Merry Christmas from Guatemala.
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