Before the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the British Foreign Minister said to visiting friends in his office: "The lights in all parts of Europe are extinguished. We will not see the time for them to light up again in our lifetime." Before the war, almost all parties involved in the war had high morale in the country. The voices of supporting the war completely overwhelmed the voice of anti-war. All parties were also more optimistic that this was a local war and it would not be fought for too long. The scale and intensity of the war were certain. Limited. Young people enthusiastically join the army, and optimistic people think about returning home for Christmas after the battle before Christmas.
Once the war begins, the situation will go out of control. The scale and severity of the war surpass historical records. Soldiers on the front line were caught in an extremely difficult trench battle. In World War I, there were several major battles that killed dozens of millions of soldiers. They were called human meat grinders.
In the movie, the French, German, and Scottish soldiers who share the same Christian beliefs are on the front line of the position. Although everyone may belong to different sects, the simple and pious religious beliefs and some of the same cultural origins are the most important Christmas Eve and Christmas in the West. This node of the year allows the three parties to lay down their wars and gather in front of the position to share food, games, and perform shows. They are friendly like a family, and some take pictures of their girlfriends and wives to tell the enemy that the sincere and simple humanity has prevailed at this moment. The cruel humanity torn apart by war.
The interesting detail in the movie is a cat on the battlefield. The French and German soldiers gave it different names. The soldiers on both sides also quarreled over the cat's name. The cat also became a messenger in front of the battlefield. Soldiers on both sides asked the cat to bring a note to each other.
When the tripartite Christmas armistice ended and parting, the Scottish soldiers sent off their "enemies" friends and used the Scottish bagpipes to play the famous song "Friendship Forever". After getting to know them, they were no longer the ugly and murderous enemies promoted by their own government. My friend discovered that the enemy believes in the same God as I do, and he also misses his wife and mother on the front line.
This kind of friendly and anti-war atmosphere on the front line could not be tolerated by the high-level military. Britain, France and Germany quickly dealt with several front-line officers and transferred the soldiers to other front-line positions. Even the cat crossing in front of the battlefield was dealt with.
In any war, the most common soldiers are sacrificed, and the most sacrificed are the senior generals who don't have to go to the front. In the war, they most ignored the lives of ordinary soldiers and used ordinary soldiers as cannon fodder.
"Merry Christmas" is an excellent anti-war movie with a smile and tears based on the real history of the frontline of World War I. "1917" and "They Are No Longer Older" released last year are also about the First World War. Good movies reflecting on war are also very worth watching.
Some time ago, I read "No War on the Western Front", which is also a very good classic anti-war literary work and highly recommended.
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