Laying Down Arms for the Night

YPRES SALIENT , BELGIUM // WORLD WAR ONE // 1914: There is an infamous story of soldiers fighting in WWI on Christmas Eve. From one side of the battlefield, someone spontaneously started singing “Silent Night” — in English. From the other side of the conflict, someone responded by singing the same song in German. Before long, both sides were singing in full chorus – together. Putting down their guns, they shook hands with one another, and shared stories and photos of loved ones far away. They celebrated Christmas together. When nightfall came, they retreated to their foxholes. Yet many could no longer fight one another, for they realized they were all the same