War - It's dirty, muddy, rainy, tiring, dangerous, bloody, depressing, physically and emotionally exhausting. Soldiers long for it to end. Imagine fighting a war, you've dug your trenches and are taking cover within. Across the battlefield your enemy has done the same. You are staring each other down with guns pointed - on high alert. BUT it is Christmas Eve! You long for home and your traditional family time. Your comrades feel the same. If only you could have a small bit of Christmas here on the battlefield. Let's sing carols! It was the sound of caroling that brought the Christmas truce during World War I. The British and German soldiers had been fighting across a bloody battlefield when a small group of Germans began to sing "Silent Night." Small make-shift Christmas trees and lighted candles appeared along the trench lines. More carols back and forth across enemy lines. At midnight they shared a religious service. At first their Christmas truce was fragile but eventually they came out of their trenches and shared the quiet of a world without gunfire. They could hear birds chirping! It was a friendly gesture and one welcomed by the soldiers.
This is a true story and well researched. Truce: the Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy is filled with photographs and illustrations depicting the days of the Christmas truce. You'll enjoy reading this story of peace during this Christmas season.
Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm
No comments:
Post a Comment