What are the most amazing incidents of World War 1 &2?
If you ask anyone what they know about the World War, you’ll certainly find them remembering the insanity of Hitler, the unbelievable Holocaust, the devastating Hiroshima atomic bomb which forced Japan to surrender and the WW2 to end.
World War was so much overwhelmed with sufferings that it nullified some wonderful incidents. Incidents which you'll find, ‘How is this possible?’
Without further ado, let's take a look at those incidents.
Christmas truce
It is very common to see truce in the war so that everyone can get respite for a while.
But, what is so special with the Christmas truce that a fantastic movie was made based on it?
In the first world war, there was an intense battle between Britain and Germany.
It was on the night of Christmas eve,1914, the British soldiers heard their German counterpart singing carols, patriotic songs in their trenches. Which was a few meters away from the British’s separated by No-Man’s Land.
Not only that, the British soldier saw the Germans decorating their dugouts with the lanterns, Christmas trees as if they had forgotten the war.
To everyone’s surprise, an atmosphere of festivity broke out with both sides singing together.
Next day in the morning, both sides came out of their trenches in the No-Man’s Land, greeted each other. They exchanged gifts, took photographs and even organised a football match.
Can you believe it! Few hours ago, they wanted to kill each other.
Incidentally, Christmas brought a new lease of life among them.
When the higher command got to know about this truce, they were worried as it would weaken the fighting attitude. Hence, the higher command took steps to prevent any such incident to happen again.
Don’t you want to know more about how this whole amazing Christmas truce started in the first place?
Watch the incredible movie- Joyeux Noel. This movie will make your day.
A Japanese soldier surrendered three decades after the World War-2
After the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces.
By dropping leaflets, the US ordered all the Japanese soldier across China, Philippines and other neighbouring places to surrender.
Hiroo Onoda along with two other Japanese soldiers deployed in Philippines refused to believe it. He considered it to be a trick of US. As, the last order he got from his commanding officer was to stay and keep fighting.
From then onwards, he tried his best to avoid being captured by the US and stayed in the jungle for more than 20 years. At times, he had multiple confrontations with the villagers and the Philippine police.
In 1974, a student went to the jungle searching for him. Though, he was officially considered to be dead. However, the student eventually found him.
Surprisingly, the soldier refused to come back with him until he got the order from his commanding officer.
Having got information from the student, the Japan government sent the soldier’s brother and his commanding officer to the jungle.
At last, after the instruction from his commanding officer in person, he finally surrendered, apologised for the inconvenience and then returned to Japan.
If you want more about this incredible story, read this article
A German soldier saved hundreds of Jews from death in WW2
The story of this German soldier came to light when the Oscar-winning film Pianist got released.
His name was Wilhelm Hosenfeld. When Germany invaded Poland, thousands of Jews were held captive and then were gradually killed in the death camp.
In Poland, this soldier used to run a Prisoner of War camp where they were many anecdotes of him saving the Jews from death, even risking his life.
During the war, in writing letters to his wife, he used to mention his grief, guilt and regret of having seen the atrocities committed against the Jews.
Later on, Soviet soldiers arrested him and he became a POW. In the POW camp, he sought help from a Polish priest who then informed Leon Warm- a Jew rescued by this German. Warm tried his best to save him but to no avail. Since it was very hard to locate him.
Unfortunately, at last, Warm got to know that this amazing german soldier died in the camp.
In 2009, Israel has recognised the wonderful effort of this german soldier by honouring him as the “Righteous Among the Nations”.
The film Pianist didn't show us much about him. How he rescued the Jews.
Hence, read this article which reveals a lot about his efforts.
War is not just an episode of destructions and sufferings. Inside it, you may find outstanding stories of compassion and strange incidents rarely heard.
