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To choose from hundreds of cars to lease. The pricing is Crystal clear and will deliver the car right to your house, so download the roadway or go to roto dotcom today, Happy Saturday and Seasons greetings everyone today's Saturday, Classic is a Christmas favour it. The world were one Christmas truths which took place at various points along the western front. On Christmas Eve, nineteen fourteen, we still get requests for this one which is covered by past hosts, Sarah and of Lena and twenty eleven and then in a much shorter episode. So far back in the archives that Josh Clark of stuff, you should know was on the show, was by Canvas and Josh back in two thousand and eight. So this classic is the Sarah into Billina version after the pond. Casket evolved to be a lot closer to what it is today. So, let's just half right.

And we hope, whatever you celebrate, you have great holidays this year. Welcome to stuff you missed in history. Class from housetop works, dot com, eleven welcomes the podcast, I'm thirty, and I'm to blame the truck reporting and December's, though to be then a holiday, podcast special, and I always like to do some kind of observer to mark the sea then, but equally try to pick something. That's a little bit off beat a couple years ago, Katy and I went for a Saturnalia celebration, which was really fun. Imagine friend, It clapping of hands the king of the beans. Last year we were gonna offbeat. To aren't we we did. We covered that Scrooge Leg Tale of Oliver Cromwell. He who cancelled Christmas bless them some New England

it and action to in there, but this year we chosen something that is a bit more somber a bit more yes, but also, in my opinion, more moving to the spontaneous Christmas eve. Truth that broke out along the western France during world where one and it of course took place in the first months of a year's long war, and it was never repeated after the first winter. So you really can look at it as an isolated and very early in the war. But as Christmas nineteen fourteen approached many men who had been sniping and shelling each other just hours before set aside their weapons. Thank carols together, decorated, trees and traded corned beef and cigarettes for beer and not its.

Kind of a remarkable story. It sounds so unbelievable. In fact. Many folks think it's an urban legend. It even has snoops entry. If that tells you something real mark of a possible urban legend right, others think It's true but way overblown that only a few Rogers, and certainly no officers fraternised on the front, but actually soldiers of all stationed in sectors across the front called local trousseau for as little as a few hours or as long as two weeks. So how did a truce like this come about in the first place How do you walk out into no man's land between the trenches and propose a friendly exchange of schnapps buttons, how indeed Phil first a little

ground on the early months of the war world, where one started in July, in eighteen fourteen and in the first month the Germans raised through Belgium on their way to France, and they were finally halted in September. At the first battle of the modern or, I should say, slowed down, and this began a stalemate- the real digging in of heels, the trench warfare, aware victory, met moving your line of just a few yards. You know the way that we imagine worldwide. It's not a war where people are zipping around across Europe really quickly for four hundred and seventy five miles of trenches were established from the North Sea to Switzerland. That was the western front, an enemy troop that the front lines were, of course, often very close to each other me like physically just few yards away from each other, so such close quarters created these natural limited true says in some of the quieter spots, where each side would tacitly agree not to shoot downy opposing rations parties with sniper fire, since it was early,

The war some still also followed the idea of fair play lake breaking for breakfast, our it seems natural than that. If you could break for breakfast, maybe you could also break for Christmas, but deal was totally unlikely on high level. Pope Benedict the fifteenth call for Christmas truths was pretty much ignored by political leaders across Europe, some senior military, even preemptively, planned against possible white flags flown on Christmas on December, twenty second nineteen hundred and fourteen. The first word of Admiralty Winston Churchill message. The world Navy, that quote any white flag hoisted by german ship, is to be found. Aired on as a matter of principle. They were convinced that the Germans would use the white flag the trick and didn't want any funny. That's nice would suspect that too

for you and you would probably not participating in it, makes me early cynical simulators war, maybe just kasza so for many soldiers to the idea of marking Christmas in any way during war. Themed inconceivable even in eighteen fourteen, for instance, german officer, Captain Reid off binding, who had just come out of the first battle of April, called the massacre of innocence in Germany due to the huge number of very young, very inexperienced soldiers who were killed, their wrote to his father on December twentieth of his thoughts on Christmas. At the front he wrote quote the simplicity of Christmas with laughter children surprises the joy of giving little things. This is as it should be when it appears alone, but when it enters the list with war, it is out of place enemy, death and a Christmas tree. They cannot live so close together. The guys are clearly thought. Otherwise, though, while none of the war time

there's thought proper to suspend fighting on Christmas day did think small gifts for the troops, where appropriate. King George, the fifth and Queen Mary had cards and tens of extra rations and pudding sent to british troops, for example in the car had cigars and tiny Christmas tree ship to the front lines complete with ready to light candles. I think I'd like a Christmas tree better than a attend put it Deanna doesn't send an amateur haven't tried one. So what do I know, but it's these barter ready goods, puddings, Org cigars, would and be cherry trees, and the tendency of both british and german people to thing that started the truth and most factors where it occurred. This sort of stuff you missed in history class is brought to you by W W, formerly wait watchers, they

launched a new might be to be programme as their most groundbreaking and customize programme. Ever I joined Debbie W because I was really looking for something that was going to help encourage means. You make healthier eating choices. They have really done that when you join them W W program, you will take a personal assessment. It ask questions You're eating habits in your behaviors minute scientifically matches you up with which plan is going to be the best for you, I'm on the who plan and it has made such a big difference or me in terms of encouraging Meis eat. Healthy foods join W W, formerly wait. Watchers unlock your customers weight loss plan that can make losing weight easier for you head on Debbie, Debbie dot com, that's w w dot com to joint Debbie Debbie. Today, with a limited time offer I will give you a few accounts of how it went down has, of course, that is scattered across this huge western front, but

one case a british century near love, Anti France spotted a group of Saxons December twenty third in they were up on top of their trench parapet, but they didn't look very scary. There were goofing off, one guy was juggling and some of them were waving the Brits over. In a friendly way, not like a mocking way, the british officer in charge thought this was Lee Scotch. He really potentially dangerous and war in his troops. Just basically don't mess with that, because inviting them over they might be true see what trenches look like no again and computer track record be attract, but be next day. On Christmas Eve, there was ultimately this cautious exchange between the German.

And the breadth of the guards and beer and the german side for cigarettes and corn beef on the british side, which was called bully beef. It was kind of detested by the soldiers. Even at this point, though, they were probably willing to make that trade in an english newspapers, to which I think that's interesting, that the the german soldiers would be having the the English knew at dusk, of Germans, again climbed their parapets, but this time it was too late. Christmas trees and ITALY P m. They started singing still a knocked, which is, of course silent night Christmas Day with the mud all covered and hardened by deep freeze on a sky brightened blue. Both sides came out again to exchange gifts, and also this is what I found surprisingly listen addresses and they promised to write or visit after the war. I'm apparently dead. I mean it's years later, but they dead maintain those friendships, animation chip.

And there was also an impromptu soccer game which ended with a recorded Saxon victory over the Lancashire few sellers. Here you go, they were you were trying to. Joy themselves in the middle of the spit across the fry. Similar episodes played out, for instance, riflemen earnest. Morally of the sixteenth Battalion London Regiment wrote helping started in his sector. He said quote: we had decided to give the Germans a Christmas present of three carols in five rounds rapid accordingly, as soon as night fell, we started in the strains of white shepherds arose upon the air. We finish that and paws preparatory to give the second item on the programme but low. We heard ants strains arising from their lines. One of them shouted a merry Christmas. English we're not shooting tonight german lieutenant your highness Niemann wrote of the decoration saying quote: are soldiers had hung little Christmas tree is covered with candles above the trenches. British sergeant a level wrote quote. I shall run

number two my dying day right along whole line were hung paper, lanterns and illumination of every description and keep imagining the terrible image. You have a world where one trenches with trees that are just completely decimated villages, decimated mud and bodies everywhere and little Christmas tree, the lantern strong around it. It really am paints quite a picture. If we try to imagine that, but private Albert, more n described hearing the Christmas Eve carols as one of the highlights of my life, so you can imagine that it did have this really huge effect on these men who had just been seen, carnage day after day or border experiencing boredom to have something so pleasant and so out of the ordinary occur and on Christmas day

priests, continued in many places, with more gains and gift exchanges and singing and combined religious services and soldiers would swap gear. You know, like switch hat. Sir, let me trade for your german code for my british code or something and take pictures together, Cunnilinctus dressing up in cost him almost, and there was also, of course, the very somber task of beer the dad, some of whom had been lying out there in no man's land, where of course, as the name implies, nobody could go collect them for weeks or even months it is interesting to note that, while the french and Belgian didn't really participate in the Christmas truce in the same way that some British did they might have had harder feelings against. The Germans obviously Some did arrange a temporary Christmas armistice solely for the purpose of bearing the dead, so they would carry

others men's to the Middle exchange and shake hands so something that was a lot more somber alot more official. Just let the green to take care of this important task and not fellow brain right. No singing of care with that. Another truce oddity was the exchange of insignia buttons, scraps of cloth and best of all pickle how's, the german dressed helmet. Others are the helmets with a little spike fund top, and I can imagine why you might want line either as a souvenir. But there's one story from the London Rifle Brigade written up in a history today, article by John Terrain, that tells of a german soldier who had traded away. His dress comment and the day after Christmas, he called out to speak to a british officer and they meet up and no man's land, and the German explained that he had traded his home it the day before and he had a grand inspection the next day

we really cannot needed to borrow it back. He apparently borrowed it must have used it for his inspection, a satisfactory manner and then did return it in exchange for life for a little more bully beef, because that was hot stuff. In the german trenches. Another famous incident has a british soldier recognising his german barber from London and getting a trim in the middle of no man's land and that's actually not quite as unlikely as it may sound to some people. Many Germans had worked and pre war, England, so at an only child there, and there is another example of a soldier in the British Hampshire regiment who described the area between the trenches as just a mass of gray and catchy, and those are of course, the two sides uniforms and that helped me also imagine what the flood like. I can imagine the Christmas Eve with the light strung up in the Christmas trees and all of that, but to imagine Christmas day just all of these guys can a thief

each other for the first time in many cases, because they had been fighting trench warfare fighting at night. For so long, a lot of them had never seen the enemy really and they probably in in some documented cases did make realizations about each other that we had the Germans, weren't barbarians, the British were these stubborn clods or something you know these stereotype vs stereotypes that they head about the opposing side and that had really and doctrine aided in them to still, though, in a lot of the british letters and diaries that described the truce, you'll find the british distinguishing between the men that they were fraternizing where they were factions in Bavaria, and they were not prussian. That seemed a very important distinguished for them to make, and I thought it was. It was really strange that the german troops themselves even would sometimes

dissociate themselves from the pressure, and in one case there was a member of the Dublin fees Lears who was killed during the truce by a stray bullet and that sounds like the kind of thing that would shut down a truce immediately, but the saxon troops sent over an apology, and it said quote: it must have been one of those damned Prussians exclamation point and followed up the apology with two barrels of beer that was so surprising to me that a truce could continue and that you would different it among Europe. Your ranks like that yet and that the one bullet went immediately. Cyrus Harding riding again that the guy's buddies, we're just gonna, get over it or something, but you can imagine how in some cases, incidents like that would definitely bring the trees an end and the truth is, did only last hours in certain sectors, with some troops refusing to participate at all and others. It stretched his long as January tenth, while the

who says were usually arranged by bolder brave bands of soldiers with officers having nothing else to do but go along with it after their men began pouring into no man's land? Sometimes officers. Maybe arrangements themselves, Captain Robert molten of the first two Battalion Royal Workshop Regiment station near Sane, Yvonne Belgium met with the german officer halfway through no man's land. They shook hands and arranged a forty eight hour truce in his journal. He talked about Dublin centuries, just for good measure, but also notes quote, I am told the general and staff are furious, but powerless to stop it. I think you would have been

midnight century, even a figment of the ears, the fishes of this whole thing, but of course I ranking officers on both sides were truly aghast at what was happening. They thought is simply postponing the conclusion of a war that had already gone on longer than expected and, for instance, the British General Sir Horsemen Dorian threatened this plenary action against any officers who fraternize with the enemy, even though there aren't records of punishments actually being doled out, but by the end of January. With the word escalating, of course, the death penalty was announced for what would be considered high treason, though it's not Christmas, any more. It is strengthen against your country. On the german side, officers were threatened, were officers threaten soldiers with a transfer to

the russian frat, which does sound like it, would make you give up on your button collection pretty quickly, not that some truce participants didn't skirt authority for as long as they could get away with it. Though british General Sir Henry Rawlinson wrote in his diary, quote. German shouted out to our men quote: look out, we have a general coming, so we have fire at you, but will aim high. You do the same for us. I find that pretty pretty remarkable that yet again the trust here. That is the trust and the willingness to just play war, not just like. We are openly in defiance of were having this truce, but we're gonna. Just pretend like we're fighting, we want really try to hurt. You there's another example of that friendly tenant Michael Whole Roy who was a british machine gun officer in the first

hi in Hampshire Regiment, and he told his parents that, around new years when the truce was still going on, the German threw up a red light and cried out put your heads down before shelling them. After it ended a white light came up and they yelled alright Hampshire's are officers are gone. Now, though, the pudding putting on a show for the the guys in charge of this episode of stuff, you missed in history, glasses, brought, you buy Norton

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slash history, that's Norton, DOT, com, slash history for twenty five percent off and contrary to popular belief, the press, so celebrated the truce news reached and by the new year and the Illustrated London New, showed a single saxon soldier delivering a candle at tree to the British. It was captions the light of peace in the trenches on Christmas Eve, so what

what's going on here in and what did it mean I mean? Did the truce mean anything coming as it did at the beginning of a very long, very terrible warming? We talked about the chemical warfare pretty recently in and out the third. We know how bad it is and there were many cases of Christmas armistice, but it wasn't everywhere. We should emphasise that point. Some soldiers on the front were shocked to hear of what happened because they spend their night fighting just like they normally dead. For instance, Captain jail Jack of the first Cameroonian recorded shelling sniping mixed with a little german Carolyn, which the British did not respond to, and even the truth that was didn't continue beyond nineteen fourteen by nineteen. Sixteen sergeant p, hair of the Eleventh Royal few slayers wrote to his mother quote. There is very little here to remind us of Christmas, just a handful of us, remembering that at its December twenty fifth, we are not dispirited. Nor do we feel downcast at the fact that we should be

in such a great day like this, it's not a truce, but just some sort of strange understanding between us and the jury's. On the other side. That Christmas day should be like this. Perhaps next Christmas the war will be over. He was killed two months later with the sad, but even in nineteen fourteen, it's unlikely that many of the participants really thought that any kind of international peace would come from the truth of troops on both sides didn't want to lose just for the sake of a unit just because you were making friends with a guy on the other side. Getting his address trading for his cool looking had didn't mean that you wanted your country to to give up her something Bruce Barons Father who they famous cartoonist and a machine gun off. Sir, with the Captain Hamilton who we mentioned earlier, the guy who walked out to meet his german counterpart, he saw it as quote an

level between the rounds in a friendly boxing match, and I have to imagine that for a lot of guys, they would be like that something to to get away, as we mentioned earlier from that day, to day really really boring and from him to really scary existent. It's funny to bring up that comparison to sports, though, because the whole exchange of gear thing did make me think, a lot of like international soccer matches that you watch when afterwards, though, exchange these in the whole playing at fighting. This utterly fighting your soccer perspective coming in here. He up, but clearly the perception of war with Something so sporting as a boxing match would change later. Some historians would see it is kind of a bridge between the Pre war and the postwar world contributing to the pvc theories on the great war. Paul few sold describes as the quote last gesture of the nineteenth century idea that human beings are getting better the longer the human race goes on. Nobody could believe that after the first World WAR, and certainly not after the second

and to go along with that idea, almost stemming from people consider it be last hold out of lack of Ec Torreon Christmas, thin, and that makes sense or or Dickens Christmas having come to the same thing, but that make sense if you think that the origin of a victorian Christmas witches from Britain is, of course, german because of them Prince Albert as we ve talked about all that before a tooth. It makes sense that these two countries, in particular weight have such similar Christmas traditions and an end up celebrating them in this early stage of the war together, but I was really surprising that we pay a lot of quote in this episode, because there are so many letters and diaries written by soldiers, but we do have a quote from our old friend, Arthur Doyle. Who is really the new queen Victoria

part of the area of the third? I really like white how he described the truce, though it's quite poignant, he wrote it with quote one human absurd amid all the atrocities which have stand, the memory of the war and clearly it has been really well remembered and celebrated because it is so unique. It is this one. Human episode mean if it had ended the war, something it will clearly be in it a whole different league of of history but It's so unusual that a lot of people have remembered it and have marked in eighteen. Ninety nine for existence, members of the association for military remembrance, reenact the true said April and in November two thousand and five, the last known Christmas truce veteran died in Scotland at a whopping one hundred and nine years,

While his name was Alfred Anderson, he was a black watch soldier and he was eighteen and nineteen. Fourteen later in the war, he had served as a bad man to the brother of the late Queen mother and consequently had received a visit from Prince Charles and numerous telegrams from the queen. I feel like we should explain Batman really quickly tube.

No, it's not marry bat. May I I I found out about this from watching down to now be it's like the personal assistant almost of high ranking officers, though the job would be anything from like getting your messages making sure you had your supplies to offering some kind of personal protection, and it was a really prestigious positions have he might get it got a better places and move faster in the army, though, that we have with us a kind of surprise that this fellow offered Anderson died in two thousand five. I believe that the last world were one two rival died just this year than not to ninety. Far apart not too far for the last Christmas truce survivor. But one final comment:

on Bruce Vans Father who we mentioned earlier. I looked at some of his cartoons and a kind of thought. They were neat way to take a different look at world war, one one that is personal, one that sometimes humorous instead of remote and upsetting and mechanical. You know it's clearly depicting the soldiers not just of cannon fodder, their people and they do funny things than they have funny reaction. There were funny interactions with people, but I also liked barons, fathers, reflection, truth, and they certainly suggest that he may have seen it and as more than just a lull in a friendly boxing matches we mentioned earlier, he wrote quote: there was a kind of invisible intangible feeling extending across the frozen swamp between the two lines, which said this is Christmas Eve for both of us something in common. Well, that was a great choice.

Christmas episode. I think. Well, I'm glad that you like tat- and I really enjoyed listening to me- break out my family carols book kind of put me in a Christmas mood, but our reflectively here, and I know that there are a lot of other Christmas beamed episodes that people want to hear. I think people refer Saint every single year, people. Do we get a lot of requests for Saint like so maybe that'll be next year's episode, maybe, but in the meantime, if you have any more requests Christmas related or not, we use Emily S. Where history pod cast a house to fix that com. You can also had a serpent facebook or on Twitter. It must industry and, of course, have a very merry Christmas and a happy one happy New year, Festival, fats, averse, Saturnalia, of course, Christ tied. If you listen Inter old up those he will know both of those

said whatever holiday is celebrated. I hope you have a happy and peaceful feed. Then you can also learn more about Christmas, as well as the Christmas trees. We do have an article on that. I found it unfortunately, after. I was dying researching this that there could then rarely expecting we have and covered history articles anymore. We usually don't usually down, but we do have one for this. It's called what with the Christmas truth and we have our Christmas work, which I would like to recommend. You can check it out by searching for Christmas on our homepage, W W W dot house work. Thank you so much for joining us for this Saturday classic since

archive, if you heard an email address or facebook url or something similar during the course of the show that may be obsolete now. So here is our current contact information, we're at history podcast at how stuff works, dot com and then we're at missed in history all over social media. That is our name on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram. They again for listening for more or less and thousands of other topics visit how stuff works, dot, com. The only way is through a new podcast in partnership with our radio under players. Coaches these will share intimate a personal stories of performance at the highest level.

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