One of the most famous stories to come out of World War I is that of the "Christmas Truce" of 1914, in which German and British forces engaged in a spontaneous and unofficial ceasefire and spent the holiday fraternizing with each other. In the popular imagination, the Christmas Truce was a time in which enemies put aside their differences to sing carols, exchange gifts, and even play soccer, and represented a sentimental flowering of peace and goodwill.How much of the popular legend around the Christmas Truce is true, and how much is myth? My guest will unpack that for us. His name is Peter Hart and he served as Oral Historian of the Imperial War Museum for 40 years and is the author of several books on military history, including The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War. Today on the show, Peter gives us some background on the start of WWI, what led up to the Christmas Truce, and what life was like for soldiers in the trenches. We then discuss how the Christmas Truce began, and what happened during it (including whether the soldiers really played soccer together), what the leaders of the participating militaries thought of this unofficial ceasefire, how long the truce lasted, and how it ended. Peter explains that while the truce was certainly motivated partly by sentiment, it was primarily done for more practical and even strategic reasons. We end our conversation with why, even though the real Christmas Truce is a less romantic event than commonly conceived, it's still a wonderful story about our shared humanity.Resources Related to the PodcastPeter's books on Amazon, including Fire and MovementPeter's Podcast: Pete and Gary's Military HistoryDocumentary on the Christmas Truce featuring Peter Hart and Taff GillinghamVideo from the Imperial War Museum on the Christmas TrucePhotos of the Christmas TruceThe Race to the SeaConnect With Peter HartPeter on Twitter 

Dan and the British Imperial War Museum's famed First World War historian Peter Hart talk about one of their favorite mutual interests...World War One. The Last Battle: Victory, Defeat, and the End of World War I by Peter Hart The Great War: A Combat History of the First World War by Peter Hart Gallipoli by Peter Hart The Somme: The Darkest Hour on the Western Front by Peter Hart Somme Success: The Royal Flying Corps and the Battle of The Somme 1916 by Peter Hart Jutland, 1916: Death in the Grey Wastes by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart Defeat at Gallipoli by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart Tumult in the Clouds: British Experience of War in the Air, 1914-18 by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart Bloody April: Slaughter in the Skies Over Arras, 1917 by Peter Hart Fire and Movement: The British Expeditionary Force and the Campaign of 1914 by Peter Hart The 16th Durham Light Infantry in Italy 1943-1945 by Peter Hart Passchendaele: The Sacrificial Ground by Peter Hart 1918: A Very British Victory by Peter Hart The Heat of Battle: The 16th Battalion Durham Light Infantry : The Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 by Peter Hart At the Sharp End: The 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment 1939-1944 by Peter Hart Voices from the Front: The 2nd Norfolk Regiment: From Le Paradis to Kohima by Peter Hart This episode is brought to you by Audible