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A Japanese officer defended an American captain in court -

In 1945, a Japanese submarine sank the USS Indianapolis. A total of 316 of the 1,195-man crew died.

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A Japanese officer defended an American captain in court -

The ship's captain, Charles McVay (pictured), was then court-martialed for his responsibility in the sinking of the Indianapolis. The commander of the Japanese submarine, Mochitsura Hashimoto, actually testified in McVay's defense.

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A young man helped soldiers from both sides during the American Civil War -

In December 1862, a Union army led by Ambrose Burnside attacked Confederate troops, killing thousands.

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A young man helped soldiers from both sides during the American Civil War -

A Confederate soldier named Richard Kirkland then risked his life by tending to both Union and Confederate soldiers on the open ground. He gathered canteens and helped numerous wounded soldiers.

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A German pilot helped an American bomber crew -

In December 1943, the American bomber piloted by Charles Brown (left) was hit by a German fighter piloted by Franz Stigler (right).

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A German pilot helped an American bomber crew -

Stigler could have destroyed the bomber and killed Brown, but instead he escorted the B-17 out of German airspace. Years after the war ended, the two men became friends.

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Christmas truce of 1914 -

On Christmas 1914, British and German troops ceased fire along the Western Front and came together to celebrate the holiday.

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Christmas truce of 1914 -

Troops exchanged gifts, played soccer, and some even visited their enemies' trenches. This was one of the most heartwarming events of World War I.

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Hitler helped his Jewish former WWI Commander -

A 1940 letter by SS chief Heinrich Himmler revealed that Adolf Hitler had ordered for Ernst Hess to be spared from persecution or deportation. Hess commanded the company of the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 16. Hitler (seated, left) served under his command during WWI.

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Hitler helped his Jewish former WWI Commander -

Before the persecution of Jews, Hess served in WWI and was a judge. The fact that Hess was married to a non-Jewish woman helped save him. The order was eventually revoked, but despite doing slave labor, he escaped from death.

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A Japanese boy helped an American prisoner of war -

In 2007, Tim Ruse (pictured) went looking for more information about his late grandfather, Carl Ruse. Carl Ruse had survived as a prisoner of war of the Japanese. Curiously, Ruse kept a photo of a young Japanese boy until his death.

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A Japanese boy helped an American prisoner of war -

It turns out the boy helped Carl Ruse by sneaking in extra food while he was at a prison camp. Tim Ruse went to Japan looking for him and actually discovered who the boy was. His name was Fumio Nishiwaki, but he had sadly passed away by then. Tim Ruse did, however, meet his family.

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A German soldier returned a dead British pilot’s possessions to his fiancée -

RAF pilot William Ross died when his plane was downed by the Germans while he was targeting a Nazi fuel ship. German soldier Gernot Knop witnessed the RAF pilot’s death.

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A German soldier returned a dead British pilot’s possessions to his fiancée -

A year after the war had ended, Knop wrote to Ross’ fiancée, Dorothy Bird. The letter described what he had witnessed, and assured Bird that Ross’ body was treated with respect, and given military honors. Knop also returned some of Ross’ possessions and a photo of Porto Bardia, marked with an “X” to show her where the pilot had died.

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A Muslim commander helped an English king in battle -

English king Richard the Lionheart was knocked off his horse during a battle against Muslim commander Saladin during the Third Crusade.

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A Muslim commander helped an English king in battle -

So, did Saladin take advantage of his enemy, who was now on foot? Not quite. Instead, he sent King Richard two horses. The English king won the battle, but they signed a three-year truce known as the Treaty of Jaffa in 1192.

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Union and Confederate troops got together during the Siege of Vicksburg -

The siege of the Confederate city of Vicksburg by Union troops began on May 18, 1863 and ended on July 4 of that same year.

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Union and Confederate troops got together during the Siege of Vicksburg -

During this time, both Union and Confederate troops spoke to each other, and even exchanged newspapers and goods between them.

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The German Emperor allowed a British war prisoner to visit his sick mother -

British officer Robert Campbell was captured by the Germans during World War I. Campbell learned that his mother was sick while he was in prison, and appealed to Kaiser Wilhelm II so he could visit her.

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The German Emperor allowed a British war prisoner to visit his sick mother -

Kaiser Wilhelm II agreed to it, but requested Campbell return to prison after he did so. Campbell complied and returned to captivity after visiting his mother.

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A German naval captain rescued British sailors and recommended an award -

The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Glowworm was hit by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper in 1940. The boiler eventually exploded, killing most of the crew.

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A German naval captain rescued British sailors and recommended an award -

Then, not only did Hipper captain Hellmuth Heye (pictured) rescue the surviving British sailors, but he even sent a recommendation via the Red Cross for the ship's captain, Gerard Roppe (who died in the incident), to receive the Victoria Cross.

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A Japanese pilot spared the life of an American pilot in WWII -

On January 27, 1945, Raymond Halloran bailed out of his damaged B-29, only to be faced with three Japanese fighters heading towards him. While two of the three planes passed by Halloran in a parachute, a third one turned back.

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A Japanese pilot spared the life of an American pilot in WWII -

In that fighter was pilot Hideichi Kaiho, who simply saluted Halloran (pictured) and left. Halloran landed and survived. Like Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler, these two men also became close friends after the war.

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The Bataan Death March ring story -

Former American football player Mario Tonelli got his Notre Dame class ring confiscated by a Japanese soldier when he was taken prisoner in 1942 in the Philippines.

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The Bataan Death March ring story -

But then another Japanese officer returned it to him. It turns out the officer had attended college in California at the same time Tonelli played for Notre Dame!

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Rival Japanese clan leaders -

Japanese warlords Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen (pictured) were famous rivals. Then one day a clan called the Hojo cut off the supply of salt in Kai, the home province of Takeda.

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Rival Japanese clan leaders -

The Uesugi clan then came to the rescue of the Takeda clan. Kenshin reportedly said, "I do not fight with salt, but with the sword."

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Solidarity between troops -

One of the punishments used during World War I was called "Field Punishment No. 1." This would involve tying one's own soldier to a post or other object for a few hours.

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Solidarity between troops -

The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (AZNAC) fought alongside the British in the Gallipoli campaign. At one point, a British soldier was condemned to Field Punishment No. 1, but the AZNAC intervened and managed to free him.

Sources: (Ranker) (Listverse) (TopTenz)

See also: The stupidest excuses for war in history

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