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Truce: The Day The Soldiers Stopped Fighting (2009)

by Jim Murphy(Favorite Author)

4.03 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0545130492 (ISBN13: 9780545130493)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Scholastic Press

review 1: This historical non-fiction story depicts the miraculous story that took place in the horrors of World War 1. It was the first war fought with modern weapons, but old tactics. People still believe that war should be fought in a “gentleman” fashion and charge forward in straight line. Unfortunately, nobody was prepared for the mass destruction that this weapons would occasion. This war pave way to trench warfare. Basically, the enemies dug up trenches between each other and in the middle, filled land with barbwire. The place in between the two trenches was called, “no-man’s land,” the most dangerous place to find yourself in. It is here that the story takes place. After agitating months of constant fighting, both side were exhausted. At night, both sides would hea... morer the enemy sing familiar songs and would hear laughter. Thus, making them realize that they were all very similar. Come Christmas day the fire stop. Both sides defied orders from their superiors and called it a “truce” for that day. There was to be no fire shots for that day. The soldiers met up in the middle of “no-man’s land” and exchange gifts and sang melodies in their own language. They took pictures and even had a burial ceremony for all of their fallen soldiers. The next day, it was back to the fighting and killing.
review 2: This book is a beautiful illustration of the humanity of soldiers in the midst of war. In true Jim Murphy style, the author's intricate research into the subject tells of a period of peace in the midst of WWI. The fact that the truce was, by and large, initiated by the rank-and-file soldiers (often against direct orders from their officers) makes the event that much more powerful.Murphy's epilogue does an excellent job of tying in 9/11 to WWI, showing how much of history is indeed (tragically) repeated. And, of course, his timeline and added sources in the end matter are excellent resources for further study.I would highly recommend this for teachers covering the early 20th century or other war-time eras. The text can easily be read by a range of ages (~5th to 8th), and is important enough that it should be widely discussed with students. less

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