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A hundred years ago tonight, a miracle happened:
The soldiers were told the war would be over by Christmas, yet on the Christmas Eve of 1914, they were still there, in the trenches. During a lul in the fighting, the soldiers of the Allied side heard a sound eminating from the other side; the sound of singing.
"Stille nacht, Heilige nacht...."
Not wanting to be outdone, the Allied troops responded in kind:
"Silent night, Holly night..."
Each side started singing louder, trying to drown out the other, but then something wonderful happened; the two songs merged into one chorus.
Then a few brave souls dared to venture out into No-Man's Land, and then a few more. Soon, both Allied and Central powers met on the field of battle, not to trade bullets, but to trade gifts.
Such a thing was unheard of! Soldiers making peace when their leaders could (or will) not? Unthinkable! And those leaders vowed to never allow it happen again, and for the next 3 Christmases, the war would continue, uniterrupted.
And although both sides knew that they would be back to trading blows the next day, for one night, there truly was "Peace on Earth, and Good Will Towards Men."
If they could learn this lesson in the midst of a World War, then maybe the rest of us should too.
Merry Christmas!
The soldiers were told the war would be over by Christmas, yet on the Christmas Eve of 1914, they were still there, in the trenches. During a lul in the fighting, the soldiers of the Allied side heard a sound eminating from the other side; the sound of singing.
"Stille nacht, Heilige nacht...."
Not wanting to be outdone, the Allied troops responded in kind:
"Silent night, Holly night..."
Each side started singing louder, trying to drown out the other, but then something wonderful happened; the two songs merged into one chorus.
Then a few brave souls dared to venture out into No-Man's Land, and then a few more. Soon, both Allied and Central powers met on the field of battle, not to trade bullets, but to trade gifts.
Such a thing was unheard of! Soldiers making peace when their leaders could (or will) not? Unthinkable! And those leaders vowed to never allow it happen again, and for the next 3 Christmases, the war would continue, uniterrupted.
And although both sides knew that they would be back to trading blows the next day, for one night, there truly was "Peace on Earth, and Good Will Towards Men."
If they could learn this lesson in the midst of a World War, then maybe the rest of us should too.
Merry Christmas!
Category Current Events / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1245 x 777px
File Size 174.1 kB
For one, most of these alliances are BUILT on principles, like monarchy and relationship between royal houses, but also worldviews. Another one was the reason why Austria wanted to go to war.
Sure, some part of it was the fact that they wanted to show the world they are still strong and a top dog in europe, but also they wanted war on the principle of undoing a great shame for their country, and a great loss. Franz Ferdinand was much beloved by many Austrians and non-austrians, and him and his wife being brutally murdered by a bunch of terrorists (who, in their own way, had their principles as justification) was a wrongdoing that could not be ignored.
Sure, some part of it was the fact that they wanted to show the world they are still strong and a top dog in europe, but also they wanted war on the principle of undoing a great shame for their country, and a great loss. Franz Ferdinand was much beloved by many Austrians and non-austrians, and him and his wife being brutally murdered by a bunch of terrorists (who, in their own way, had their principles as justification) was a wrongdoing that could not be ignored.
I bet, somewhere in the multiverse, there's a reality where the soldiers told their leaders to piss off.
I mean you've got regiments of unhappy armed soldiers? Good luck trying to get the MPs to tackle that lot being as soldiers have a severe hatred for Military Police...and hey whilst you're at it General would you like to send in your fresh-faced as-yet-un-embittered-by-the-war-greenhorns to try and roust them?
No I didn't think so. The vets would chew'em up and spit'em out...or more likely welcome them with open arms.
Oh hey General, howzabout you go tell them to stop this silliness yourself? Be sure to posture and swagger and shout and threaten courtmartials and field executions.....Oh dear then they might shoot being as "if we're gonna get punished might as well earn it right and I've always wanted to bag a General..hurrr hurr hurr" and that would be a tad unfortunate...no perhaps we should all sit down and talk about this. Yes sounds a marvelous idea.
I mean you've got regiments of unhappy armed soldiers? Good luck trying to get the MPs to tackle that lot being as soldiers have a severe hatred for Military Police...and hey whilst you're at it General would you like to send in your fresh-faced as-yet-un-embittered-by-the-war-greenhorns to try and roust them?
No I didn't think so. The vets would chew'em up and spit'em out...or more likely welcome them with open arms.
Oh hey General, howzabout you go tell them to stop this silliness yourself? Be sure to posture and swagger and shout and threaten courtmartials and field executions.....Oh dear then they might shoot being as "if we're gonna get punished might as well earn it right and I've always wanted to bag a General..hurrr hurr hurr" and that would be a tad unfortunate...no perhaps we should all sit down and talk about this. Yes sounds a marvelous idea.
I mean, I get the why the Generals, Captains etcetera need to establish discipline and all that.
But when you look at the matter; they rather outnumber the people leading them by a significant margin. S'probably why Officers were shit-scared of mutinies...also why they liked to hold the 'See I can navigate by the stars and read the maps...and well 'read' in gneeral and you can't neiner neiner neiner' card.
But when you look at the matter; they rather outnumber the people leading them by a significant margin. S'probably why Officers were shit-scared of mutinies...also why they liked to hold the 'See I can navigate by the stars and read the maps...and well 'read' in gneeral and you can't neiner neiner neiner' card.
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