Topics in Chronicling America - Christmas Truce

"Miracle is Wrought by Christmas Spirit in Hostile Trenches," announces Philadelphia’s Evening Public Ledger for March 24, 1915. Following months of trench warfare, unofficial ceasefires erupt along the Western Front during Christmas of 1914. Climbing from their trenches onto battle-scarred "no man’s land," British and German soldiers shake hands, swap cigarettes and jokes, and even play football. "We all have wives and children…we’re just the same kind of men as you are," one German said. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• December 12, 1914. Pope Benedict XV fails to arrange a truce among warring European nations during the Christmas holidays.
• January-March, 1914. Word reaches America that an unofficial “Christmas truce” was celebrated in trenches on the Western Front.
• December, 1915. Americans are disheartened when no such spontaneous armistice occurs the following Christmas.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Christmas Truce, fraternized, peace, Christmas armistice.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "One Nation Blocks Vatican's Plan for Armistice During Christmas Holidays," The Day Book (Chicago, IL), December 12, 1914, Last Edition, Page 3, Image 3, col. 1-2.
• "No Christmas Truce," The Red Cloud Chief (Red Cloud, Webster Co., NE), December 31, 1914, Page 6, Image 6, col. 3.
• "The International Flag of Truce," The Bemidji Daily Pioneer (Bemidji, MN), December 26, 1914, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2-6.
• "War Called for Christmas," The Washington Herald (Washington, DC), January 1, 1915, Page 6, Image 6, col. 5.
• "A Christmas Truce," Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), January 4, 1915, Night Extra, Page 5, Image 5, col. 6-7.
• "The Christmas Truce," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), January 17, 1915, Page 8, Image 8, col. 3-4.
• "Life in Trenches Described in Vivid Manner by Officer," The Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, OR), February 11, 1915, Page 2, Image 2, col. 5-7.
• "English Captain Tells of Enemies' Christmas Truce," The Tacoma Times (Tacoma, WA), February 11, 1915, Page 3, Image 3, col. 3-6.
• "Americans in the War," The Evening Herald (Klamath Falls, OR), February 23, 1915, Page 2, Image 2, col. 4-5.
• "Strenuous Life of Foreign Legion," The Leavenworth Echo (Leavenworth, WA), March 12, 1915, Page 3, Image 3, col. 3.
• "Miracle is Wrought by Christmas Spirit in Hostile Trenches," Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia, PA), March 24, 1915, Night Extra, Page 4, Image 4, col. 5-6.
• "Truce Observed in Trenches on Christmas Day," The Bemidji Daily Pioneer (Bemidji, MN), March 24, 1915, Page 1, Image 1, col. 7.
• "New York's War Celebration Surpassed by That of War Trenches," The Bemidji Daily Pioneer (Bemidji, MN), March 25, 1915, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1-2.
• "No Christmas Truce to Halt Bloody Frays," Medford Mail Tribune (Medford, OR), December 25, 1915, Second Edition, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
• "Alsace Soldiers Hurl Christmas Shells as Families Hold Fetes," The Washington Times (Washinton, DC), December 27, 1915, Home Edition, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5-6.