Across No Man's Land

Even in war there is love.

0900 hours, December 25

 

“Her name was Anna,” the English solder said, “our wedding would have been today, if I hadn’t been drafted. She was always religious, said her childhood dream was to get married on Christmas.”

 

“I had a wife,” the German soldier replied in barely accented English. “Broke her heart when the conscription letter came.”

 

It was an odd scene, this was, two people who had previously been trying to kill each other, talking now like old mates.

 

 

1200 hours, December 25

 

“I get letters from my mother every few weeks, she just can’t seem to stop worrying.”

 

“Me too, and my son as well. Always warning his daddy not to get hurt.”

 

Odd indeed, but today it was a scene that was being replicated all along the Western Front, enemies brought together by the day of our Lord.

 

 

1500 hours, December 25

 

“Could I join you for lunch? Our next shipment of rations hasn’t come in yet.”

 

“Please.”

 

Men who had been fighting so brutally the day before, laying down their weapons and venturing across the dead country between their trenches, fraternising with those they were supposed to hate.

 

 

1800 hours, December 25

 

“Have some of these cans, our present to you.”

 

“Danke. And here, take a barrel of our beer, we have plenty to spare.”

 

Exchanging gifts and food, stories and anecdotes...

 

 

2100 hours, December 25

 

“I wish this war was over.”

 

“I just want to see my family again.”

 

...and realising that, perhaps, they were not so different after all.

 

 

2355 hours, December 25

 

“Merry Christmas, my brother.”

 

“Frohe Weihnachten, und auf Wiedersehen.”

 

 

 

 

0830 hours, December 26

 

A heavy sadness descended upon the company as the sun made its way over the horizon, signaling the start of the new day. There was so much hatred on the battlefield, so much destruction so much devastation, but also so much love. Love the country, for the comrades, for the wives and children left behind, and even for enemy, the men who they had no quarrel with aside from being born on the other side of a border, who in a different place and a different time, may have been their friends. But even as a single gunshot was fired into the sky, even as the truce was ended and the soldiers once again took up their guns, there was one love that was on every man’s mind. One love that sometimes was the only thing that kept them going, that for the moment would have to remain unrealised. Because today they fight, but someday, maybe tomorrow, maybe in a hundred years, but someday, they will have peace.

Author's Note

This story is a work of fiction, but it is based on the Christmas truces that occurred at several places during World War One. Soldiers put a temporary halt to the war and got out of their trenches to socialise with the enemy, with different sources listing difference lengths for the truces.

This piece is a bit experimental, I'm not quite sure about it. Suggestions for improvement are very well appreciated.

Reviews

[Irish_Ranger]

I enjoyed reading this. I'm glad that someone has brought attention to the Christmas truces; many think they were simply a work of fiction, but I believe it's a very real possibility that mankind can be brought together, albeit for only one day, to share in brotherhood because of a particularly beautiful holiday.

For improvement, I think just general lengthening would be appropriate. Give each section some more depth, perhaps some tangible characters that the reader can latch onto in order to help set the gravity of the situation: These two enemies have come together for a limited time, and have realized their similarities, and perhaps the ultimate futility of war.

This is a great idea overall, and I hope to see a longer version of the same.

[bookworm]

i believe in love. i believe that aside from god love is the most powerful thing on the planet

[Sarusai Hiryu]

Nice. Experiment more with this form; you're good at it.
Add more description - just a line here and there.

[Jesse Jacques]

this is so sad, but I love how you wrote it. In all war, there is peace. And in all peace is war.

[Cricket Kidd]

I love this. People are so stupid some times, What is to gain by trying to kill each other? War makes me sad.

[SkylerJames]

this is a very powerful peice, well said.

[spence]

December 25th 1914 when peace silenced war for the briefest of times. Did you know that the generals, on both sides, threatened any soldier who repeated the armistice the following year with punishments ranging from the witholding of rations to court martial and execution? Some of the men defied the order and certain lines on the western front lay down their arms once again, but it was written out of history until fairly recently. One of my best friends is something of an expert on the first world war and I have quite a few books on the subject; can't think of anything to improve upon this short however, but if you need any advice on simlilar writing I could most certainly point you in the right direction for research purposes.
The story itself, though, I enjoyed for its simplicity and the emotional outpourings and conflicting emotions throughout the chronology that led to the inevitable thoughts on the folly of war and hopes for peace in the far flung future... unfortunately many of those hopes still lay buried beneath the earth that were once the battlefields of the somme, ypres, gallipoli and countless other locations where 'the war to end all wars' didn't quite live up to its billing.
Very nice write, i enjoyed this immensly, take care, spence

[A]

That was an interesting piece, I enjoyed it!
I am not an expert with stories therefore cannot suggest anything sorry, all i can say as a neutral reader that is authentic and enjoyable, good job.

[Calypso]

I liked reading this. I never knew that about WWI, but it makes sense.

[Marie Harrison]

I just love it. It's hard to imagine. I can hardly imagine being in war, much less coming back after having drinks and dinner with my enemy. It's very real to me. Very important story in my opinion.