A Christmas Truce - The Truce Tree - Extra History

It was Christmas Eve 1914 and German soldiers had snuck across no man's land seeking what little joy they could find in a tree amidst World War I. After running into drunken french soldiers the unthinkable happened.
--- The Christmas Truce Extra History Episode ---
• WW1 Christmas Truce: S...
--- Letters from the Trenches Extra History Episode ---
• WW1 Christmas Truce: L...
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#ExtraHistory #Christmas #History

[@extrahistory]

For more Holiday History why not check out our Very Merry Extra Credits Christmas Playlist?! kzbin.info/aero/PLhyKYa0YJ_5DPxk6uaqH9LwqYy7D0AGAZ

[@Randomguy_13]

Merry Christmas. Nice video

[@extrahistory]

@MarkoWasHere MAGIC!!!!

[@extrahistory]

@@Randomguy_13 Thanks!

[@RobertcBlumer]

It’s Christmas war is over

[@waynelindsay967]

Ya have of the Christmas in ww1 with Canada we didn't care if it was Christmas 😂

[@Puptoon2022]

“Hey guys look at these party animals I found outside” “Bro that’s the enemy!” “Really? That’s sick, man”

[@irislove1462]

Those French soldiers really said "Let's vibe with the enemy"

[@FrogTonic]

“The friend of my enemy is my friends friends enemy fredemy it doesn’t matter let’s drink!” - French solider probably

[@tommat72]

Some soldiers on Christmas really be like : “Soldier is soldier, it don’t matter if enemy or freind. SOLDIER IS SOLDIER!”

[@Timoteo-qj3hg]

​@@FrogTonici had a seizure while trying to understand that

[@tutel9496]

​​@@Timoteo-qj3hgyou have to read it while being drunk

[@johnhurley8918]

You know a war isn't worth fighting when the soldiers decide to spend Christmas together.

[@nodelayfordays8083]

Most people probably don’t want to fight the war but do so for fear of their life.

[@blueberry1vom1t]

@@nodelayfordays8083 both sides were fed the idea that they were fighting for freedom. Nothing breaks that illusion faster than sharing a bottle of wine with the enemy.

[@mortache]

Forced to fight by the governments, these men aren't soldiers and killers they're bakers and clerks who just wanna go home

[@sayba6766]

Frrr

[@deusvult6920]

Or ya know, people actually take their religion seriously

[@sredacted1647]

TODAY WE'RE ALL BROTHERS, TONIGHT WE'RE ALL FRIENDS!

[@davidthor4405]

A moment of peace in a war that never ends

[@patimationstudios]

Today were all brothers we drink and unite

[@shubharthidutta979]

Now Christmas has arrived and the snow turns the ground hard Hear Carol's from the trenches we sing oo holy night

[@huldanoren951]

Our guns lay to rest among snowflakes

[@mrwolfgramm4126]

Our Christmas in the trenches Our Christmas on the front far from home

[@redjaypictures4528]

Can you just imagine if all of these moments were enough to make WWI end on Christmas? That would be one of the most heartwarming history lessons ever

[@sizor3ds]

Yeah, at least on the western front. Would have been really cool

[@paxamericania5923]

The western front cpuld have broken out into peace if all the tropps refused to attack.

[@sayba6766]

Frfr

[@a.h.s.3006]

Alternate History Teachers: And so seeing their soldiers happy and peaceful together, the commanders decided that fighting any longer will only be a waste of lives and resources, and thus the allies and central powers on the Western Front made peace, leaving Russia with no choice other than requesting a peace deal as well, status quo antebellum was restored and only about a million soldiers and a few thousand civilians died. Which is still bad, sure, but at least no one was bitter enough to start another conflict about it.

[@swampdonkey1567]

​@@a.h.s.3006 plus there would be more precedence for soliders not following ever order by that I mean "I was just following orders" wont be a good excuse.

[@killingragethrowback]

The saddest thing about WWI is that the troops on the ground really didn't know what the whole thing was really about, for their "superiors" to gain glory, territory and money. This war a true tragedy in every sense of the word.

[@FunLovingPotato]

All warfare is class warfare.

[@cleo42]

As opposed to other wars?

[@firemangan]

@@cleo42Other wars has meaning like the American Revolutionary War, Napoleonic wars, the great northern war etc. WW1 was just pure pettiness.

[@cleo42]

@@firemangan the American Revolution only existed because rich British guys thought their land and money was more important than their soldiers... Napoleonic wars, seriously? Isn't there like, a really obvious glory and power hungry dude without whom all this blood wouldn't have been spilt?

[@landonadams9935]

I still remember this quote from Battlefield 1: “The Great War was supposed to be the war that ends all wars. It ended nothing.”

[@VCANN]

"Today we're all brothers, tonight we're all friends" -Sabaton

[@Gaiusnerva]

@@legezeiferton a cold winter day

[@AmarettoTheFurry]

@@Gaiusnervaafter many months on the battlefield

[@AntonsVoice]

Not the canadians

[@VCANN]

@@AntonsVoice You ruined the chain >:c

[@percival371]

Let's try again Ahem Silence, oh I remember the silence

[@mahonishizumi6276]

stealth 100, persuasion 100

[@nicholaspurington5466]

Nice girls und panzer profile

[@BuddyCakes]

luck 100

[@respecthanz9685]

Sneak 100

[@flamethrower539]

Illusion 100

[@theconfederacyofindependen7268]

Severe stupidity: a nonmillion%

[@IcecreamMcGuy]

Man that ending is so wholesome, I wish war was like that now.

[@qaiser648]

bro

[@IcecreamMcGuy]

@@qaiser648 what?

[@Bragemaster]

@@qaiser648 Yeah what man?

[@cebonvieuxjack]

@@qaiser648 bro...

[@ianschmutzler8177]

@@IcecreamMcGuy I think hes interpreted what you said as "I wish all wars were like WW1".

[@525Lines]

There's a story during the civil war that scouts would trade newspapers with enemy scouts regularly.

[@andrewweitzman4006]

Pickets during the civil war did a lot of trading between each other during the ACW.

[@The_Galaxy_Knight]

''So... You got the funnys?

[@coltsinglearmy]

At the end of the day, we're all brothers and sisters...

[@tonythetiger2306]

Unless your Canadian

[@PersianLime31]

@@tonythetiger2306 Lmao what do you have against them

[@Gaiusnerva]

@@tonythetiger2306I agee

[@eliasmathew797]

Amen. Also, @tonythetiger2306, why you bully the Canadians

[@Ethan_Whitlock]

​@@PersianLime31they did horrible thing during gathering Christmas truce

[@immasleep8105]

During the first Christmas of WW1, many of the soldiers on both sides played football together, it’s crazy how there are so many stories of people on both sides getting along with one another

[@ThePlushFriends]

Wasn't that WW2?

[@dovahkiin7253]

​@@ThePlushFriendsno it was ww1

[@ThePlushFriends]

@@dovahkiin7253 I could swear they played a match of football in ww2..

[@harryrobinson260]

You mean soccer?

[@earthling_parth]

​@@harryrobinson260if you're an American, yes.

[@mozxz]

I love how they ccould not cross the lines during the war, but to steal a christmas tree, roght next to enemy garrinson, suuure, why not..... They must have really wanted that tree

[@davidthor4405]

“I don’t care if it’s possible or not, Johan, we’re fucking getting that tree!”

[@def3ndr887]

@@davidthor4405”But Trayger the tree is literally right next to a window that everyone can see from!”

[@jokingosprey666]

@@def3ndr887 did he stutter?

[@lordoflemons776]

you sound more drunk than the Frenchman

[@vacantsix1586]

An entire army crossing no man's land in the heat of conflict is practically impossible Two idiots sneaking there way across separate from the main force is definitely possible

[@scarletletter4900]

It's a known fact that booze and winter holidays completely nullifies the results of a perception check via the no hecks given effect.

[@Katrina_Korolev]

Modern poetry be like:

[@Fuzznator]

The christmas truce was the most famous moment of fraternization between enemies in war but not the only one. Before the battle of malplaquet in 1709, the bloodiest battle of the 18 century, soldiers from both sides fraternize in the “no mans land” between the 2 armies. There are countless others examples

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Merry Christmas, especially to anyone who's heard Sabaton's Christmas Truce song.

[@pablomagno4679]

And today we're all brothers Tonight, we're all friends

[@IKColby12]

A moment of peace in a war that never ends Today we are brothers we drink and United

[@tammyt3434]

I suddenly have an intense need to rock out...

[@oceanmanefibc1743]

Merry Christmas to u too buddy

[@codycallaway9057]

I have

[@RandomGuy-jo8ky]

This strikes me as a National Lampoon Campus Movie.

[@rustygribbler1380]

Or a Monty Python 😂

[@doctorwhofan6340]

​@@rustygribbler1380true true

[@celtic7029]

The biggest "we were bad but now we're good" moment in history

[@thememelord4222]

Their were no bad guys in ww1 both sides committed numerous atrocities yes the central powers started the war but it was because of Serbia a member of the allies

[@oinkytheink1228]

@@thememelord4222yeah but the war was inevitable as Serbia was gonna escape Austria Hungary no matter what

[@thememelord4222]

@@oinkytheink1228 yes but not to that scale eventually Serbia would have declared war but it would have waited a few years till they were ready it also likely would have been just the Austrians-Hungarians and Serbians maybe Germany and Russia at its biggest extent but Britain France the ottomans Bulgaria and the U.S would have remained neutral

[@oinkytheink1228]

@@thememelord4222 remember Russia guaranteed it would help Serbia if Austria ever went to war with them

[@thememelord4222]

@@oinkytheink1228 that’s why I said at its greatest extent and that deal with the Russians didn’t extend to if Serbia was the one who declared war

[@tubbyqueen]

“oh damn, you the enemy. doesn’t matter, take this champagne”

[@D14.MP4]

Bro rolled a 20 on charisma 💀

[@Rose-yx6jq]

I guess you could say that the French were full of holiday cheer.

[@strawberri_.swxrlzz]

and holiday beer

[@SonicBoone56]

It's proof that most people have way more common ground than they think. Not to mention that most people fighting don't necessarily agree that their enemies are always bad. As they say, war is complicated.

[@nickspencerfishingrodd2383]

That first sentence... Got to admit i never thought about it, not much at least.

[@UnicornChicken18]

We are all we are all we are all Frieeeends.

[@merlon8599]

And tonight we are brothers

[@UnicornChicken18]

@@merlon8599 tonight we are friends a moment of peace in the war that never ends

[@natethegreat5968]

A moment of peace in a war that never ends

[@Itcouldbebunnies]

So no one told you life was gonna be this way...

[@tekajikuyalkrul5111]

​@@natethegreat5968 today we're all brothers we unite and drink

[@youchoob8090]

French Soldier: “So your name is Gunther?~” **Hic** “Uhhhh…. Ja. You are all drunk?” French Battalion: “Oui” “May we have a case?” French Soldier: “of course my adversary” **Gives him a case of wine and vomits on the floor** French Soldier 2: “Ahhh, Jock! Not on the carpet man!”

[@ArkayaStudios]

Lol

[@lupohutchington269]

Waking up next day. Wondering what happened and where all the wine and a tree had gone

[@duckyboi2297]

French soldier 2: “My commanders gonna kill me!”

[@oooshafiqooo]

the next day: hey where is all our wine?

[@Nekuma-]

idk why I made the french demoman from tf2

[@frozen_owl1493]

And today we’re all brothers tonight we’re all friends

[@juliusnebulus7303]

Same with the british and our troops. They were celebrating christmas together and the next day all of them refused to fiight each other. Humanity can even exist in war.

[@G-MoneyRL]

A moment of peace in a war that never ends

[@BrievaryZowan]

EC should totally do an episode on the Boston Tree. 2021 marks the 50th consecutive year Nova Scotia has sent them a tree since starting the tradition in 1971.

[@ecurewitz]

Totally!

[@benniechau3198]

germens: *turns on stealth 101 mode*

[@shells_]

I remember a teacher that loved his job and was talking about WW2. Instead of making us read about the trenches in a textbook, he had us read a book about how in one part of the war on Christmas, both sides met in no man's land and celebrated Christmas together. I have no idea how accurate this is though, as it was in middle school.

[@bethanbaker7066]

That is true and happened in many places. Not everywhere though and it ended the next day most places thanks to the generals.

[@Johnny31323]

Its the 1914 christmas truce, you can watch a short video on youtube depicting it, it's not 100% accurate, but the troops did infact do all the things in the video short, like a short movie video. Again: 1914 Christmas Truce Movie Short

[@Your-Least-Favorite-Stranger]

Christmas care packages were and still are a common thing too. During WWII I believe, British soldiers received ration-made holiday treats like plum pudding and tins of chocolate to brighten their spirits. It was small by nature, but to someone suffering through the horrors of war: I cant imagine the joy it brought them.

[@NathanJoseph-fk7eb]

Just like a night out with the boys

[@agentg7227]

This story is heartwarming :)

[@edoardoprevelato6577]

Silence, oh i remember the silence

[@bongomeister9965]

On a cold winters day

[@martinsriber7760]

After many months on the battlefield

[@FlaviusBelisarius-ck6uv]

@@martinsriber7760 And we were used to the violence..

[@kandam5517]

@@FlaviusBelisarius-ck6uv THEN ALL THE CANNONS WENT SILENT

[@bongomeister9965]

@@kandam5517 voices sang to me from no mans land

[@SpankeeMyDankee]

I love the dionysus reference on the wine.

[@ibrahimdalupang]

"HANS WHY WERE YOU LATE!?" "Uhmmmmm......"

[@user-pq4bl8ly4w]

I was reading a book about this yesterday, the Germans were also singing Silent Night, and the french went over to them and joined in a game of football. :)

[@GuitarRocker2008]

I’ve been that drunk before so yeah I can believe that

[@FinalLugiaGuardian]

Perhaps the French wanted to get the Germans drunk too so that the next morning they wouldn't be that effective of Fighters either.

[@Youragent3428]

"Look behind the dark to see a small spot of light."

[@mpotatolord2783]

the soldiers didn't ask for wine, they didn't choose wine, yet they still got it

[@ethanwilde4716]

This info is by far the most heart wrenching in my opinion. Imagine the fact you got to know a enemy solider, you learn about their relationship with a woman who's worried about them these people have emotions and thoughts, they probably believe this war is pointless and at least they got a break, only for the next day you'll be shooting at them again as if your life depends on it. I think that would broke me back then.

[@alpacaofthemountain8760]

The holiday spirit was strong in them

[@zechariahlea2317]

“What is your name, friend?” “Hans… eux, Hanseux”

[@almy-nations]

Christmas can bring even the weirdest nations together...

[@yohannjoshperal4468]

Germans be like: Stealth 100 Persuasion 100 Camouflage 100 French be like Blindness 999 Attention 0 Cares 0- -

[@rholvr09]

Drunkenness: 99999

[@Mr.hudson69420]

Friendship: ∞

[@nuno1327]

fuks given: 0

[@doggydude2668]

the cares part is just 😭

[@Guest_5736]

"Guys wait it's christmas stop the roleplay"

[@valtryekTBS]

You should do more of these love these episodes

[@groovy3]

gotta give props to this video. the music staff coming from the french wine cellar are the correct notes to jingle bells!

[@aleks2703]

Me as soon as thanksgiving ends : *starts playing The Christmas truce by Sabaton*

[@MelissaClark-tc2kp]

there was another story where one of the troops idk what country heard the enemy side carolling, they went and joined in, and played a game of soccer. christmas really is magical.

[@Ambiorix33]

Truly a beautiful moment, it's a shame that the embittered soldiers would never repeat this as much as they did during the 1st year of conflict, and not at all by the 3rd 😞

[@def3ndr887]

The Prussian commanders just had to use gas

[@Rynewulf]

The soldiers wanted too, but generals on both sides banned it and treated any of their own soldiers acting too professionally, civilly or kindly towards the wrong people very severely

[@Roving_and_Crafting]

I heard that they also kicked a ball around out on No Man's Land, the scorched area between the trenches.

[@bryant7542]

Lol the French were just partying

[@thephantom3268]

Whoever didn’t know they started to war but the one team stopped war and said Marry christmas so the war never was officially done

[@Fille725]

”Enemys are enemys, war is war. But We all are still human”

[@TheCreepypro]

one of my favorite christmas stories and videos you guys have done

[@hamstreak5591]

Do we shoot them? Nah, they're just vibin'

[@testaccount4830]

And then there were Canadians during this era ‘gifting’ their enemies grenades.

[@ryanr3334]

No Matter who you are.being drunk (except while driving) will make enemies friends to the end

[@chom6096]

The French disagree with a lot of things, but letting someone go a night without wine is too far even for them

[@kestrels-in-the-sky]

I’m just imagining there convosation before this

[@marcus4046]

hans! COME ON ITS IN AND OUT IN 20 MINUTES TOPS!

[@kestrels-in-the-sky]

@@marcus4046 Frits! WE FORGOT THE WINE!

[@reneeplayzgamez263]

How you know war is pointless : the enemy is talking right to your face, not even being subtle, and just giving them some free champagne.

[@newcourier7446]

And today, we’re all brothers! Tonight, we’re all friends!

[@joshnic6639]

That’s because you aren’t fighting the war for your neighbor, you’re fighting the war for security for the rich.

[@inurokuwarz]

Why the hell did anyone even shoot eachother in WW1? The second they put the guns down they're just bros.

[@AmazingAutist]

Higher commands

[@andrewlynch4126]

The state demands blood for the cause and so does their state, better to kill than be killed

[@rmsgrey]

By the end of the 19th century, peace in Europe was being kept by a combination of some pretty motivated personal diplomacy and the formation of two large power blocs that were pretty evenly matched so that the only possible outcome of a war would be a long and grueling stalemate. Then the elder generation of statesmen died, and the new generation of politicians a) thought their side would probably win and b) thought that avoiding a war would require actual personal effort from themselves. Then Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot in Sarajevo, the Austro-Hungarian empire (with a promise of support from Germany) pressed toward war against Serbia (which had Russia's backing). Attempts to persuade both sides to seek a peaceful resolution failed, due to lack of enthusiasm from various nations, both Russia and Germany mobilised both as a precaution in case the war expanded, and as a counter to the other's mobilisation, leading to the expansion of war that the mobilisation was meant to forestall. France met its treaty obligations by coming in on Russia's side, Germany bypassed French defences by going through neutral Belgium, and gave Britain the excuse to join in (worried that staying neutral would mean the winners moving against the Empire), and everyone dug in for an Autumn campaign that should be over by Christmas, with >insert nation here< having finally proven their rightful superiority over the rest of Europe. Three years later, with Russia undergoing political turmoil, the US entered the war, and their sheer numbers broke the stalemate, but by that point the Christmas Truces of 1914 were a distant memory...

[@sugarthearcticfoxe334]

You should make an episode about when this happened on/near Christmas : Germany and Britain were at war ( at least I think it was them) and one of the sides started singing. The other side heard and also started singing. Then they called a cease fire, crawled out of their trenches, and played around with each other before returning to fight…but they couldn’t just fight after that, it made them said knowing these people before they brutally destroyed them. They had to swap lines with people so they fought different people.

[@castillogrande8926]

Those soldiers really were like: "I have no enemies" 🗿🍷

[@9Risky]

Claim your “here within an hour” ticket right *here*

[@Pioneer_DE]

here within an hour

[@americantttefan4745]

Here within an hour

[@memegun7470]

Here

[@mozxz]

Will do. Merry x-mas

[@michaelarchangel3545]

Xmas

[@apo1861]

In the eyes of their superiors, their actions got so bad after the Christmas truce that the front lines had to be reorganized, in some instances they refused to fight.

[@veramuses]

One of my favorite holiday songs is about the Christmas Truce. As a History student who does best in wartime history and ancient history, this channel is a boon.

[@EvilPaladin11]

Nice Danger 5 reference at the humor magazine part

[@dezante0146]

Seasons greetings to all have. Wonderful Christmas

[@Sean-0-JH]

This is one of the smartest shorts I’ve ever seen. Fun, entertaining and makes the audience want to watch their long-form videos. Brilliant!

[@ColdLookingGlass]

No Christmas without a Tannenbaum!

[@ilikedinasours27]

Stealth increased to 9999999999

[@ecurewitz]

All wars should be like that. No killing, just stealing a tree and getting wine

[@oweMriS]

"Errr, Herr, they just gave us je wine.. Kein kampf.."

[@TheRealForgetfulElephant]

Everyday was Christmas during WW1 ❤ They were all just having a blast 💥

[@lavaos]

there was a whole movie about this called "Crux Noel" and its pretty good

[@Ug-lordetheunmovable]

I wish there was a documentary or a movie that compiled all the peaceful encounters on Christmas like this one

[@user-ps5sz4sl2x]

There are actually a lot of examples of soldiers from both sides interacting with each other and in one instance in WW1 the Germans played soccer with the British soldiers in no man's land which only ever occurred ONE time in the entire history of WW1.

[@PotatoBeastXbox]

These aren't just soldiers, they're sons, fathers, brothers and friends

[@bwengw69]

I love his art style

[@PotatoChipsCrunchy.]

Atleast That war ended with truce 🤝

[@umneo]

Nothing is more scarier in a war than realizing the enemies are human.

[@PaperrStars]

1st part of the first song: Ooooo okay, Minecraft music! 2nd part: *oh so it’s funky now*

[@Mr-Soundboard799]

Canada celebrated the christmas truce with a bang

[@ziadsarhani1742]

Merry christmas extra credits!

[@captainkaiba7957]

In the darkest of places a small light shines brightest.

[@GravitasZero]

I remember there was a number about WWI that floored me. I don’t remember the number itself, but it showed a very large portion of soldier hadn’t fired a single shot during the war.

[@hahen8]

Honestly its so beautiful it makes me cry

[@oliversherman2414]

Why was I recommended this clip 2 years later? lol

[@rick3043]

Imagine getting drunk and waking up in the wrong trench..

[@Calling_kingly]

DANM the power of Christmas spirit is crazy

[@isaiasaguirre342]

When the server just become a friendly one:

[@epicgamer4899]

The fact they made a truce on the spot is hilarious

[@PlacoInPain]

They was just chill like that

[@spacecore94]

"Today we are brothers! Tonight we're all friends! A moment of peace in a war that never ends!"

[@lowqualitycontentguy]

a christmas bloody miracle

[@user-rh9pl3zl5l]

that just shows that soldiers are still just humans, and not monsters

[@pandagunner4471]

The way he said "Hold! He's unarmed" absolutely BROKE my heart 😢

[@NOSOUNDi1787]

This is just wholesome.

[@allreligionismidcontroll]

And today were all brothers, tonight were all friends, a moment of peace in a war that nevere ends...