11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully Done, November 1, 2009
This review is from: Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting (Hardcover)
This book tells of an amazing event in the history of warfare. However it also does much more than just that. It gives a clear and concise history of what lead up to World War I, and the different governments' plans to achieve a quick victory, none of which worked. What ended up happening was a long brutal war, with new technology of mass destruction and no new tactics. Hundreds of thousands died uselessly, because of these outdated tactics combined with new weapons, and a belief that each side thought they were superior and in the right.
What ended up happening was a giant standoff - trench warfare that had trenches that ran from the North Sea Coast all the way to the Swiss border, with the trenches being from 50 to 1000 yards apart. The Germans were on one side of the trench and the French, English and Belgians were on the other. Originally both sides thought the war would be over by Christmas, each side shelling, bombing and launching raids on the other. Massive losses on both sides contributed to doubt among those on the front lines. Then on Christmas Eve of 1914, a miracle happened. Almost all the way along the lines a spontaneous peace erupted; for more than 24 hours no fighting took place, the soldiers met in the middle of no-man's land between the trenches and exchanged gifts and songs and Christmas greetings and wishes.
This book masterfully tells this story of politicians and military leaders who wanted to continue fighting and soldiers who did not obey orders and had a Christmas miracle. The book is full of historical photographs, illustrations and quotes from those in the events. The special features at the end of the book will be great for educators, students, or students of history alike. It has a great timeline, extensive notes and sources, and a section with more references for World War I resources, from books, movies and on the web.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gift of Peace for the Holidays - thank you Jim Murphy!!!!, October 21, 2009
This review is from: Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting (Hardcover)
What a remarkable book this is! I'd heard something about a truce in 1914, but I never had a context to place it in. Here is a story about the best that mankind has to offer. It is also a story about a race to war, and a war based on lies -- all things that sound ever so sadly familiar in terms of today. Jim Murphy lets soldiers voice speak, and he uses remarkable period images to create a thought-provoking, moving volume. I'll be giving this handsome book out as Christmas presents. What could be better than sharing a book about peace?
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astonishing True Story of Battlefield Peace, October 17, 2009
This review is from: Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting (Hardcover)
This is a wonderful book! It tells the incredible true story of the spontaneous Christmas truce that happened on the battlefields of World War I, when soldiers on both sides came out of the trenches and exchanged gifts and songs instead of gunfire. TRUCE has an exciting narrative and vivid quotes from diaries and letters, and it captures the sounds, smells, and sights of the battlefield. It also has a moral point--World War I, like many other wars past and present, began with propaganda on all sides and ended up being a long and devastating struggle for everyone. I think readers of all ages will love this book. I did, and so did my 12-year-old cousin.
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