It's a long way to Tipperary? By Christmas 1914 the war's brutality was not yet in full effect. Within one year of the Christmas truce neither side would be par

It's a long way to Tipperary? By Christmas 1914 the war's brutality was not yet in full effect. Within one year of the Christmas truce neither side would be particularly interested in splitting a bottle of Sherry. Poison gas came on the menu instead. By 1918 they were shooting at each other within minutes of the scheduled final ceasefire, when there was literally nothing to be gained beyond watching an enemy die one last time. I'm not sure why the Christmas Truce continues to fascinate...it amounted to nothing in the grand scheme of the conflict other than to expose the final shred of naivete on both sides.