The Christmas Truce

[General_Paul]

Here's the idea that I've got:

In Christmas, 1914, the allies and the Imperial German Army have dug into their trench lines in anticipation for the re-launching of offensive operations along the western front, when an impromptu cease-fire breaks out during Christmas day, and into the 26th. During the Cease-Fire, many of the men up and down the trenches were sitting in the mud, singing carols, smoking cigars, exc.

What if a group of German, and British officers got together, and decided that the fight was just not worth it and they and their brigades throw down their weapons. After that, we see thousands upon thousands of men deserting their posts up and down the western front, and joining the already celebrating German and British soldiers. With this tossing down of weapons, we could see almost the entire British and German armies throwing down their weapons and joining their bretheren in the mud of the trenches, and refusing to fight.

My question is this: How will the British, and German High Command deal with this mass desertion? What will the French do? How will the great powers deal with almost their entire armies dancing in the trenches with their former enemies?

 

[wkwillis]

I don't think that would have happened even if the Pope had shown up on the battlefield and forbidden the continuation of combat. I think he should have, mind you, but I don't think it would have worked. Few enough people knew how bad the war was going to be and was already.

 

[Mort]

Say if the truce had happened in 1915 or 16, after the war had been going for a while, and all of those young men have had to experiance the real horrors of war for a while. Thats more likely. The problem is that still in 1914 a lot of the people who served thought that war was still fun. Sad, but true.

 

[NapoleonXIV]

Say if the truce had happened in 1915 or 16, after the war had been going for a while, and all of those young men have had to experiance the real horrors of war for a while. Thats more likely. The problem is that still in 1914 a lot of the people who served thought that war was still fun. Sad, but true.

And that is also the reason it didn't happen in 1915, by that time the war was no longer the great thing that was going to make all the boys on both sides into men, not for anyone who was actually fighting it.

But WI it had happened in 1914?. Let's say at about the same time the Spanish flu is striking, a little harder and four years earlier.

Now these men are scared, scared for their families, scared for themselves. The war seems suddenly inconsequential, then it stops. They look at each other like people blinkered and see others very much like themselves, concerned mainly about the same thing.

A few officers try to stop them, but the barrels collapse under them and they're shot in the water. Within weeks the BEF is lining up for ships at the Channel ports and the French and Germans are marching home. The Great Empires work their problems out diplomatically, because they have no other choice.

The idea that war is just the greatest thing for undisciplined youth still remains, however. But over the years sober analysis, somewhat aided by the new academic discipline of Counterfactuality ( which has been burgeoning under the many scenarios which have the war continuing) convinces the world of how narrowly they have missed the Apocalypse.

 

[MerryPrankster]

I agree--1914 is too early.

Later on is a different matter.

 

[MrP]

Uh, a professional army downing tools permanently? For Christmas, ok, but permanently? No. Besides, the generals banned its recurrence. I don't see any particular reason for that to fail in this TL. OTL we had horrendous casualties, but didn't have a second truce.

I agree with wkwillis, except I'd go further: the Brits and other Protestants won't accept the Pope. Maybe direct divine intervention . . . because the King (and Head of the Church) of England isn't going to tell them to stop fighting in His name.

I honestly don't think it's plausible, sorry

 

[Mort]

Well, it intresting you mention it. officially it only happened once, but there are reports of it happening unofficially every year of the war. These are unconfirmed, but if true, then maybe there is something right with the world.... Maybe.