Christmas Eve 1914

Had he and I but met

By some old ancient inn,

We should have sat us down to wet

Right many a nipperkin!"

But ranged as infantry,

And staring face to face,

I shot at him as he at me,

And killed him in his place.

Thomas Hardy

On Christmas Eve 1914 the British and Germans declared a truce and traded cigars, candy, and even had a football match during the horrendous trench war of WWI.

You can catch up at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

A powerful discussion of WWI is heard in Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History series Blue print for Armageddon (52)

 

If you prefer the documentary: http://youtu.be/p05E_ohaQGk

And for background on WWI: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25776836