That cross still stands at the exact place it was erected in 1914 at the side of a nowadays field, not the original anymore, but a replica. The location is in the middle of what used to be the no man's land during the first battle of Ypres, it is located near Commines-Warneton (Belgium) not far from the French border, not one day passes without fresh flowers, or even footballs being placed at the base of the cross, remembrance counts! Lest we forget
Sabaton always base their songs on true things that happened in wars. This happened in WWI. Soliders refused to fight on Christmas day. It had nothing to do with the higher ups. After the truce the Generals moved the soliders around in fear they wouldn't fight their new found friends
Absolutely LOVED the discussion at the end. You guys may not have known that the story was based in truth, but you didnt NEED to in order to understand the message. Im glad you both enjoyed this one.
World War 1 was started with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This was the catalyst that started the war. Austria declared war on Bosnia because of the nationality of the assassin, and the Allies and Axis powers chose sides to support. The Christmas Truce was a unique event. The war had only been raging for a few months, and they had been promised to be home by Christmas. Christmas Eve, many battalions voiced a truce by shouting across No Man's Land, mainly started by the Germans. Many soldiers died trying to initiate the truce because both sides were so distrustful of each other and shot soldiers leaving the trenches trying to raise a white flag. The ones that did agree to a truce, British, Scottish, and French soldiers interacted with German troops. In one instance a German barber trimmed the hair of Allied soldiers. Both sides played soccer with balls or beef tins. Germans set up Christmas trees and sang carols. They had impromptu Carol wars to see who was better. They traded gifts and shared plum pudding. They also used this time to gather the dead and wounded. After the truce, many soldier downright refused to fight the boys they just spent the day laughing and drinking with. Others intentionally missed their shots to feign a battle. Some did go back to downright war. Those who refused had to be replaced with fresh soldiers, while the others were sent to different fronts. It was a slice of humanity in an insane war. It was never to happen again, because any sign of fraternization with the enemy was met with severe disciplinary action. Also fun fact; Adolf Hitler was a foot soldier and one of the ones to report the incident since he was strongly against the truce. Not because he hated the other side, but he believed that war was to be fought day and night until a victor was decided. In the ending credits, Floor Jansen is the woman singing. She's the wife of Sabaton's drummer. Her voice is heavenly. Also just so you know, you don't need a disclaimer for Sabaton. They love people making reaction videos. I get covering your bases, but just letting you know. They're the friendliest guys on the planet and love people enjoying their art like this. Happy New Year guys.
Steph n Jay, You hit the nail on the head. That tie-in with 2021 is missed by the majority of reactors and I congratulate you on your emphasis to that very important message that Sabaton gave to us. Thank you both.
Yeah, it is really a strong message that people who were LITERALLY at war could manage to set their differences aside for a day. Today the spoiled brats can't even stand a different political view. Just f'ckn do better!
La fecha en la cruz, creo, indica que Europa aún los recuerda, recuerda que debemos olvidar el dolor con que aprendimos nuestras lecciones para ser lo que somos, pero no olvidarles a ellos, que nos dieron la lección más grande: que podíamos vivir juntos, con nuestras diferencias... La cruz original que levantaron fue destruida y se colocó otra, en 1999, creo. Está en Ypres, y recuerda que, en 2021 aún seguimos unidos....
@@apefu Countries weren't really all that different back then. The largest difference was the language barrier, and even that wasn't all that different. It was the last gentlemen's war.
This was such a great moment in history when so many put down their arms for Christmas in 1914 even if it was just for a day. Sadly the generals made sure it would not happen again in 1915,1916 and 1917 by ordering attacks and artillery strikes during Christmas. Thanks for your reaction, you made some good points. Greetings from Iceland
I really like this reaction. Someone actually got the message behind putting 2021 on the cross. You actually caught that and understood the meaning of it perfectly.
Welcome to "the Sabaton Experience" - they write songs based on true stories - this happened in 1914 - it was not called upon by the generals or leaders, the troops just decided to do this - all along the front. If I might suggest, try "No Bullets Fly" (the one 8:50 long w/Yarnhub) - even if you don't do a reaction, it's an amazing story - watch to the very end.
You killed the valkirie queen at the end. And so, shut the door to walhalla for you. Heheh only way to make up to get back in, to do some things from her. 😁😁😁
What an AMAZING 🌟CHRISTMAS🌟 Song by SABATON. The lyrics and the MUSIC inspire You. And the Video, Unbelievable. All Band Members play a Role. Also the HUSBAND from FLOOR JANSEN, The DRUMMER van SABATON, HANNES VAN DAHL. He was the wounded SOLDIER. It's also a piece of history. You can learn a lot. It's very...... EMOTIONAL 😢 And at the end the Voice of FLOOR JANSEN, makes it extra Beautiful...💫 This a Gift for Christmas ☃️🎄🕊️ We are all.... We are all.... We are all.... We are all.... FRIENDS 🤝🤝🏾🤝🏽 For Me The CHRISTMAS SONG of the Year 2021...💫 A little PEACE 🕊 and LOVE ❤️ for Everyone 🌹 WARS are TERRIBLE... Let's all think a little bit about 🌟 CHRISTMAS TRUCE🌟 during the CHRISTMAS Season, this is so often FORGOTTEN!!!! Thank you For the Beautiful Words⭐ All the time Being kind to each other, Peace for you ❤️ ★*🌙☆* 🦌🛷🎅彡 ☆ * ❄️ MERRY CHRISTMAS 🤍 For you and your FAMILY 🤍 Love from the Netherlands ️❤️🤍💙 🇳🇱 🙋🏼♀️
German and British soldiers singing christmas songs in the middle of the war. Amazing story :) You can find real pictures of that event on the internet
An unfortunate side effect of the US method of teaching European history. Understand, the words "Lest We Forget" are on WW1 memorials around the world, and almost every nation who was in the war at the time still teach about it in schools. The Pope had called on both sides to, at least for the day of our Savior's birth, stop killing. The war had started in July of 1914, and political leaders on both sides had said that with the new technology of the time the war would be over by Christmas. When it was mid-November and the war had simply stalled, the Pope as head of the Christian world had said that Christian leaders should be able to stop even for a day... both the Austrio-German and the French leaders said no. But it had been a public request, and the night of Christmas Eve in zones along the hundreds of trenches the soldiers decided that "If you no shoot, we no shoot" as one German said. It was not universal. By this point, commanders on both sides had lost hundreds of men, and not all commanders were willing to stop. Some continued fighting the whole day, some men who stood up to ask for the truce were killed, but in a few places the will of the common soldier superseded the will of the generals back at home. Unfortunately, commanders who decided to stop firing were later charged with disobeying a direct order, cowardice and were either demoted or received prison terms for allowing it. The next year, to prevent any temptation to "treason" the commanders on both sides ordered all day bombardments and even attacks. It was the last such stand down ever. Even today, the "order book" (a written list of general orders that all troops are expected to obey) clearly states that only section command can authorize any such truce. Any lower officer or soldier doing so will face charges and prison. Welcome to Sabaton... the place where war nerds go to find great music.
The story is from WW 1 . When on the a series of widespread unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of the First World War around Christmas 1914. Starting on the 24th and lasting through the 26th of December 1914. This was five months into the war and never happened again during WW1. The very next year high command ordered artillery shelling on both sides to prevent the soldiers doing it again. So it's a very special one time event from WW1.
OMG you cut off Floor Jansen who was singing the end credits ( current singer for Nightwish & married to the drummer of Sabaton the blonde German soldier) Great Reaction, Sabaton sings mostly about historic military history from many time periods and is a great way to learn about history. this event took place in 1914 during the 1st few months of World War 1. for more on this topic there is a decent movie (2005) "Joyeux Noel" (Merry Christmas) shows the German, French & British (well a Scottish unit) , sadly when word of these events got out many units were punished and relocated to other sections of the line were the fighting was more savage. and then they made sure on holidays they would launch attacks and such. but the war took a turn and got more deadly esp once GAS started to be used in 1915 some soldier tried to repeat the event of 1914 but were shot. also Sabaton has their very own "Sabaton History Channel " on youtube the just put this out today for this song - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LJq64dF5ZfQ.html
This happed on December 24th,1914. The German troops had put up little trees on their trench walls,and began to sing Christmas Carols. Then one got up and walked out into No Man's Land.Then the French and English soldiers followed suit. Gifts were exchanged,stories told,and they play the most famous Soccer game in history was played. The truce lasted for two days and when their superior officers saw them the soldiers were punished severely. Some ran away,not wanting to fight any longer,after years in battle. Others were transfered to other areas and the rest were shot right there for refusing to shoot those they had met durring the truce.
You REALLY summed that all up at the end, there. No matter how fierce their fighting and differences were then, and they were able to put it aside for a brief minute, so why can't we do it now?
What is not said by most reactors is that this Truce only happens because both sides were Christian, thus sharing the common holy day. The Holidays now do not for the majority of people hold such seriousness.
These days the conflicts deal more with ideological, geopolitical, and especially religious differences to where one side is completely culturally indifferent to the other, minimizing opposing cultures and justifying hate for any religions but their own. It just won’t work these days, and that’s sad.
As others have said its a true story. There is a monument in Belgium for this event. The higher ups made sure it never happened again. The outro is sung by Floor Jansen of Nightwish also the wife of Sabaton drummer Hannes..
I don't think you realised that it was Floor Jansen who sang the outro at the end credits. She is of course the wife of Hannes!! ( de drummer van Sabaton ).
Ya just had to bring up the pandemic. That's one of the most haunting lines in what I consider a great Christmas song. "When we celebrated Christmas, we thought about our friends, those who never made it home once the battle had commenced"
The 2 of you did hit it on the head. Appreciative of not only great music that tells a big story in history. But, tied it to all that "going on" today. Of course we won't always agree on everything 100% of the time. That's NO reason for hate & division. We live in a diverse country & to respect diversity we need to know that not everyone who has a different opinion on this or that is automatically "bad." Bad direction to think that way. Thanks for the commentary. History will repeat if we can't learn from both the good & the bad. Be proud of & build on the good. Look critically & don't repeat the bad towards anyone. In the end, we're NOT all that different from each other. We're all Americans & we're all "in this" TOGETHER!!!
Sabaton has a loooong list of history based music, it is kind of their theme (they have won award for being educational, a prestigious one). here is a short list of interesting videos from them animated STORY videos No bullets fly Night witches lady of the dark red baron epic ones, Bismark, about the sinking of the ship Defence of Moscow, self explained. 40:1 polish soldiers, badly outnumbered and outgunned defending against the German invasion 1939 Uprising, the Warsaw Uprising during 1944. To hell and back, they tell the story of Audie Murphy (highly decorated) and his struggle AFTER the war, so about PTSD and drug addiction that returning soldiers can face, . Live performance 40:1 from poland Uprising from poland En livstid I krig live from Göteborg Sweden (in Swedish but there are subtitles) , very heavy again, about a young man going to war. these are just some, there are plenty more.
dear steph and jay, Welcome to Sabaton as others have already mentioned sabaton sings about wars and battles, but they also have a special youtube channel that goes in depth on the topics in the songs, and the episode for this song was uploaded just last night ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LJq64dF5ZfQ.html
...Todavía...no puedes pedir que personas que en un sistema duro e injusto que los sacrifica ante la obtención de ganancias cada vez mayores, estén contentos o sufran en silencio para no molestar, ni siquiera en Navidad....es otra cosa completamente diferente....
