Trench Christmas War

On July 28th, 1914, Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a young Serb with nothing to lose in life. This set out a spark that sent the world into the war to end all wars, which ended in countless casualties. Many of the participating countries predicted the war would end by Christmas of 1914. But in December of 1914 countries were still at war with one another and soldiers were still on the front lines in deep muddy trenches. The war did not stop the soldiers from celebrating Christmas with their comrades or their enemies. But, how did this come about? What happened during this truce? Were there soldiers against the idea of the truce? How did this truce end? What were the consequences? Why did this happen
Why has this not happened in other wars as well? The Christmas truce came about due to the people of the war excepting the war to end within months of it beginning. But as the months went on people began to realize that the idea of the war ending by Christmas was impossible and the style of fighting they were using was not helping the morale of the soldiers who were fighting the war in any way. The idea of trench warfare involved conditions along the lines of watery muddy filled grounds with planks along the ground of the trench in hopes to keep men’s feet dry and safe from trench foot as much as possible. Other conditions of the war involved a lack of manpower and ammunition which made it impossible for either side to rage a good successful battle without casualties or without it taking months to even gain a mile. Men would often be sitting around waiting for an attack or an order resulting in many commanders to be worried that they were losing their moral. Another way this could have to happen is due to fraternization with the enemy along the Western front during the downtime the men had. By fraternization the soldiers were able to see that the men they were facing were not the monster they were made
One present that all British soldiers received was named the Princess Mary gift box. The little tin box constituted of different things depending on if the soldier was a smoker or a non-smoker or their religious values. If the soldier was a smoker they would get an ounce of pipe tobacco, twenty cigarettes, a pipe, a tinder lighter, Christmas card and photograph of the princess herself. When the non-smoking boxes contained a packet of acid tablets, a writing case containing pencil, paper, and envelopes along with a Christmas card and photograph of the Princess. The other boxes contained the same things instead of the tobacco or acid tablets spices or sugar candy were subsisted. When the Germans received many of these things as well from their families and civilians, they also received small Christmas trees with candles on them. On the 24th of December is when the truce began, some truces would begin with Germans singing Silent Night the candles light on the tiny trees and the British troops would join in or answer with their own song. Other times wooden boards would be held up with the question of peace or no shooting written on them. Some men would come out of the trenches arms held in the air to show they meant no harm, and the enemy would meet half way and no man’s land to shake hands and wish one another a Merry