Christmas in the trenches

[glenn-k]

Christmas In The Trenches
Courtesy http://www.frankmartinmusic.com/mp3s.html

www.rense.com


The Christmas Truce


12-24-5



On Christmas Day, 1914, in the first year of World War I, German, British, and French soldiers disobeyed their superiors and fraternized with "the enemy" along two-thirds of the Western Front. German troops held Christmas trees up out of the trenches with signs, "Merry Christmas." "You no shoot, we no shoot."

Thousands of troops streamed across a no-man's land strewn with rotting corpses. They sang Christmas carols, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared rations, played football, even roasted some pigs.

Soldiers embraced men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if the top brass forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high.

A shudder ran through the high command on either side. Here was disaster in the making: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight.

Generals on both sides declared this spontaneous peacemaking to be treasonous and subject to court martial.

By March, 1915 the fraternization movement had been eradicated and the killing machine put back in full operation. By the time of the armistice in 1918, fifteen million would be slaughtered.

Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce. Military leaders have not gone out of their way to publicize it.

On Christmas Day, 1988, a story in the Boston Globe mentioned that a local FM radio host played "Christmas in the Trenches," a ballad about the Christmas Truce, several times and was startled by the effect. The song became the most requested recording during the holidays in Boston on several FM stations.

"Even more startling than the number of requests I get is the reaction to the ballad afterward by callers who hadn't heard it before," said the radiohost. "They telephone me deeply moved, sometimes in tears, asking, `What the hell did I just hear?'"

I think I know why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes against most of what we have been taught about people. It gives us a glimpse of the world as we wish it could be and says, "This really happened once." It reminds us of those thoughts we keep hidden away, out of range of the TV and newspaper stories that tell us how trivial and mean human life is. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really could be different.

Excerpted from David G. Stratman, We CAN Change the World: The Real Meaning of Everyday Life (New Democracy Books, 1991). Available for $3.00 from New Democracy Books, P.O. Box 427, Boston, MA 02130.


Christmas In The Trenches

Words & Music
By John McCutcheon

My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here
I fought for King and country I love dear.

'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung
Our families back in England were toasting us that day
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.

I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear.

"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me
Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war

As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent
"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht." "Tis 'Silent Night'," says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky

"There's someone coming toward us!" the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one long figure trudging from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shown on that plain so bright
As he, bravely, strode unarmed into the night

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's Land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell

We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeezebox and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men

Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each prepared to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"

'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost, so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone forevermore

My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I, I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same

©1984 John McCutcheon/Appalsongs (ASCAP)

[peg_688]

This isn't Christmas related but just how this Squadron coped with time at sea.


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEkYqL9n7vo&mode=related&search


 They also made this one , same Sqd.;


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqaWdkdFb3Y&mode=related&search=

  JO's must have a lot of time on thier hands , but eh it looked like fun / a good time was had by all hands puttin this vids together.
 

[Daddymem]

I've always loved Garth Brook's song similar off "Sevens": "Belleau Wood"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT3k4_YPer4
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/brooks-garth/belleau-wood-5027.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belleau_Wood

[Amanda_931]

but the battle was in June!

Doesn't mean it isn't a nice song, but....

Garth Brook and Joe Henry wanted something they'd copywrited?

On the other hand the album has Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer on it.

Of course Billy Joe Shaver apparently copywrited lyrics that go--in part:

Merry Christmas to you, merry Christmas to you,
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas to you.

[glenn-k]

Sounds like he combined the two stories into his song.

Significance to me is that these guys are doing what they are told to do by leaders who risk nothing - not even their own family members and without hope of victory.  It would be nice to see them come back unharmed.  Both sides.

[Daddymem]

It is an old story with many different tellings.  It appears that Snoopy and the Red Baron  (another fav) is an incarnation too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

Too bad this isn't likely to re-occur in this modern war...may everyone over there on both sides be safe and make it back home wherever that may be.

[Amanda_931]

Yes it is.

I've always kind of resented the McCutcheon song because it is such a tearjerker (gets me every time!)

But it is a nice version that Rense put up.

[glenn kangiser]

Our kids, except most politicians kids- join the military to protect our country or to survive in the climate corporate America has set up for them.  Too bad they were tricked into this one by lies and big business agendas not to mention doing the will of Israel via our sold out government.

The song at the top of this topic illustrates the fact that the guys out there fighting are generally all the same - no matter which side they are on -- pawns used by corrupt governments...but they do have team spirit.  Wish they were home.

73846 dead Veterans since Gulf War 1 --1990 through March 2007

Copy of e-mail info came from:

*Gulf War*

*Since Gulf War 1 - 73,846 US
Dead, 1,620,906 Disabled*
12-11-7

Data from -

http://www1.va.gov/rac-gwvi/docs/GWVIS_May2007.pdf

73,846 US TROOPS DEAD (near top of page 6)

1,620,906 PERMANENTLY DISABLED (near top of page 7)

US DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ISSUES OFFICIAL REPORT CONFIRMING 73,000
U.S. TROOPS KILLED IN IRAQ SAME GOVERNMENT AGENCY REPORT CONFIRMS
1.6MILLION "DISABLED" BY THE WAR

From Peter Marshall E. Boomhower

eboomhower@juno.com

George Walker Bush has presided over the worst defeat of the United States
Military since Vietnam and has deliberately skewed reporting of the deaths
and injuries to conceal the facts.

Department of Veteran's Affairs, in conjunction with the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, has released the truth because they need the American People to know
our military is literally, destroyed.

They cannot release these horrific numbers via the chain of command because
they are under orders to conceal the truth at all costs, so they let slip a
report which now cannot be "un-slipped."

Here are the facts and a link to the government source to prove these facts:

More Gulf War Veterans Have Died Than Vietnam Veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, May 2007, Gulf War Veterans

Information System reports the following:

Total U.S. Military Gulf War 1 and Gulf War 3 Deaths: 73,846

* Deaths amongst Deployed: 17,847

* Deaths amongst Non-Deployed: 55,999

Total "Undiagnosed Illness" (UDX) claims: 14,874

Total number of disability claims filed: 1,620,906

* Disability Claims amongst Deployed: 407,911

* Disability Claims amongst Non-Deployed: 1,212,995

Percentage of combat troops who filed Disability Claims 36%

Soldiers, by nature, typically don't complain. They don't want to be
perceived (by idiots) as being weak, or complainers, or looking to get out
of work/danger. In other words, the real impact of those who are disabled
from the US invasions in Iraq, Afghanistan and other Nations, is not fully
reflected in the official Veterans Affairs numbers.

Why are the government numbers of 3,777 as of 9-7-7 are so low? The answer
is simple, the government does not want the 73,846 dead U.S. soldiers killed
in the Gulf to date to be compared to the 55,000 U.S. soldiers killed in
Vietnam, lest we all conclude Iraq = Vietnam.

What the government is doing is only counting the soldiers that die in
action before they can get them into a helicopter or ambulance. Any soldier
who is shot but they get into a helicopter before he dies is not counted.

73,846 dead U.S. soldiers for this scale operation using weapons of mass
destruction is not high - we expect the great majority of U.S. soldiers who
took part in the invasion of Iraq to die of uranium poisoning, which can
take decades to show up.

[MountainDon]

Anti War Songs.
There are many. I couldn't pick one favorite, but these three would be in the top of my list, child of the 60's that I am.
...in no particular order...

"Fortunate Son" – Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Blowin' in the Wind" – Bob Dylan

"I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag" – Country Joe and the Fish

[MountainDon]

I thought of another...

"Sam Stone" – John Prine

[glenn kangiser]

Cool -- I was class of '69 as was Sassy

Some I wasn't even aware were war protest songs.  I like the Country Joe one.

[MountainDon]

Country Joe's a classic. He still makes appearances and sings that same song with geographical updates.

The John Prine always makes me sad.
Off topic a bit, but FYI he was discovered by Johnny Cash. In prison.

[glenn kangiser]

Sam Stone was a great one -- tells the story of some of the Vets, eh?  Part of the legacy of war for any reason. 

[MountainDon]

Yep.

I believe Desdawg served in Vietnam. Don't know where/when/what. But he deserves a thanks.

I've just finished watching a PBS plea for money special; Bob Dylan, '63, '64, '65 at Newport. He sang Blowing in the Wind there in 63... made me think of the others.

[MountainDon]

Some I wasn't even aware were war protest songs.

Well, CCR and Country Joe are no brainers; maybe I read into the Dylan song    and the John Prine is a commentary/protest sort of thing.

I should probably skeedaddle off to bed but I've got some Pete Seeger running through my head.

[MountainDon]

One last contribution... a Pete Seeger composition (196?), performed by a mature Peter, Paul & Mary and accompanied by Pete himself.

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" - Peter, Paul and Mary

Also by Marlene Dietrich (1963), who most of our members have never heard of.    In her day she was a sexpot!

[glenn kangiser]

I think we all owe our Veterans for the sacrifices they have made, but I think we also owe it to them to keep their lives from being squandered for big business, and a government who will do anything to keep the war machine running to increase their family fortunes.

Oil can be negotiated for with money as always.  No one dares invade us here - unless the current regime destroys our military.  Power, doing Israel's bidding,  and  world dominance requires the lives of our children and servicemen.  All of this to make a few elite more money and give them more power. 

[MountainDon]

"Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Man"

G'nite... I see that this evening has turned into tomorrow. 

[MountainDon]

Glenn, I see we're the only two to be up so late with nothing better to do. 

Oh, there are 10 guests as well.   

[glenn kangiser]

I was so into that I didn't even realize another day of my life had passed.  Soon I'll be as old as Peter, Paul and Mary, and Pete Seeger...I hope not combined.  Great entertainers with a great message.

Thanks for jumping in there on that with me Don.  You really added some great stuff to the thread.

[Daddymem]

There is plenty of modern anti-war music.  Most is probably too much for the crusties out there but I'm sure the Lawrence Welk crowd was doing cartwheels over Bob Dylan back in the day. 

"Baghdad" - The Offspring "This is no Vietnam We will win in IRAQ"
"Let Them Eat War" - Bad Religion "Let them eat war That's how to ration the poor"
"B.Y.O.B."-System of a Down "Why don't presidents fight the war? Why do they always send the poor?"
"Gulf War Song"-Moxy Fruvous "Fighters for liberty, Fighters for power, Fighters for longer turns in the shower."
"Prophets of War"-Dream Theater "Are we profiting from war?"
"No Bravery"-James Blunt-"Brothers lie in shallow graves. Fathers lost without a trace. A nation blind to their disgrace, Since he's been here."
"Dirty Harry"-Gorillaz-"I'm a peace-loving decoy Ready for retaliation I change the whole location to a pine box six-under"
"Dear Mr. President"-Pink-"Dear Mr. President, Come take a walk with me. Let's pretend we're just two people and You're not better than me."
"Capital G"-NIN (Nine Inch Nails)-"Well I used to stand for something Now I'm on my hands and knees Traded in my god for this war He signs his name with a capital G"


Check out Serj Tankian (from System of a Down) for some good poetry.  If you can't handle his music, read the lyrics. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serj_Tankian

[glenn kangiser]

I'm not that crusty, Daddymem.  I had B.Y.O.B. here somewhere - recommended by my son.  I even have Disturbed...though I don't listen to it often...but thanks for th middle aged version of war protest songs.  I'll check them out.

[glenn kangiser]

OK Daddymem - watched the BYOB video -- read their lips and listened to the words.  Actually that is the first time I realized they actually had a message in the song.

[Daddymem]

Serj has lots to say about lots of things wrong

The unthinking majority
Empty Walls
Charades Piano!
A poet in case ya didn't know it

[glenn kangiser]

I'll check it out some more soon.  I'm preparing for a big rainstorm today -- doing things I have been putting off.