# 11........
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2505081926071475613
Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence
Over Belleau Wood that night
For a Christmas truce had been declared
By both sides of the fight
As we lay there in our trenches
The silence broke in two
By a German soldier singing
A song that we all knew
Though I did not know the language
The song was “Silent Night”
Then I heard my buddy whisper,
“All is calm and all is bright”
Then the fear and doubt surrounded me
‘Cause I’d die if I was wrong
But I stood up in my trench
And I began to sing along
Then across the frozen battlefield
Another’s voice joined in
Until one by one each man became
A singer of the hymn
Then I thought that I was dreaming
For right there in my sight
Stood the German soldier
‘Neath the falling flakes of white
And he raised his hand and smiled at me
As if he seemed to say
Here’s hoping we both live
To see us find a better way
Then the devil’s clock struck midnight
And the skies lit up again
And the battlefield where heaven stood
Was blown to hell again
But for just one fleeting moment
The answer seemed so clear
Heaven’s not beyond the clouds
It’s just beyond the fear
No, heaven’s not beyond the clouds
It’s for us to find it here
I love the list.Beautiful words have not been spoken in to long. Colin Powells is the closest, but nothing compared to the others. Patton’s and McAuliffes are my favorite.
22) “Nuts.” — The response of General Anthony MacAuliffe, when asked to surrender during the Battle of the Bulge, 1944
That’s the censored movie version.
He actually wrote “EFF You”. But he didn’t write “EFF”.
These words are beautiful! They soak right down into the innermost fiber of my heartwood and ignite it. I love these men; yes, Joe, even Sherman.
From Sun Tzu to “Stormin’ Norman” Schwarzkopf, the goal of every military commander has always been pretty simple: to kill people and break things.
bookmark
#22 reminds me of a book I read about Fritz Bayerlein, who commanded the Panzer Lehr division in 1944. The general to whom the “nuts” comment was directed was interred after the war with Bayerlein who teased him unmercifully about it, saying “nuts”, “nuts” whenever he spoke about tactics.
#22 reminds me of a book I read about Fritz Bayerlein, who commanded the Panzer Lehr division in 1944. The general to whom the “nuts” comment was directed was interred after the war with Bayerlein who teased him unmercifully about it, saying “nuts”, “nuts” whenever he spoke about tactics.
Letter from Major Sullivan Ballou U.S. Army to his wife.
July the 14th, 1861
Camp Clark
Washington DC
My very dear Sarah:
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days - perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.
Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure - and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. Not my will, but thine 0 God, be done. If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing - perfectly willing - to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt.
But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows - when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children - is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?
I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death — and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.
I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved and I could not find one. A pure love of my country and of the principles have often advocated before the people and “the name of honor that I love more than I fear death” have called upon me, and I have obeyed.
Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.
The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when God willing, we might still have lived and loved together and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me - perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar — that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.
Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have oftentimes been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.
But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night — amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours - always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.
Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.
As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father’s love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood. Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and your development of their characters. Tell my two mothers his and hers I call God’s blessing upon them. O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.
Sullivan
(Sullivan Ballou was killed a week later at the 1st Battle of Bull Run.)
7) “Come on, you sons of b!tches! Do you want to live forever?” — Dan Daly, WWI <<
That is Sgt. Major Dan Daly, one of two Marines to receive the Medal of Honor twice - for different actions. Major General Smedley Butler was the other.
A young man who does not have what it takes to perform military service is not likely to have what it takes to make a living. --John F. Kennedy
"You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once." — Robert A. Heinlein from The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
Not exactly quotes, but in a similar vein, I like the following:
DeGaulleIn 1966 upon being told that President Charles DeGaulle had taken France out of NATO and that all U.S. Troops must be evacuated off of French soil President Lyndon Johnson mentioned to Secretary of State Dean Rusk that he should ask DeGaulle about the Americans buried in France. Dean implied in his answer that that DeGaulle should not really be asked that in the meeting at which point President Johnson then told Secretary of State Dean Rusk:
"Ask him about the cemeteries Dean!"
That made it into a Presidential Order so he had to ask President DeGaulle.
So at end of the meeting Dean did ask DeGaulle if his order to remove all U.S. troops from French soil also included the 60,000+ soldier buried in France from World War I and World War II.
DeGaulle, embarrassed, got up and left and never answered.
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When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire-building by George Bush.
He answered by saying that ..."Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."
It became very quiet in the room.
— As reported by By Bill Wundram in the QC Times newspaper March 24, 2003.(Quad City Times)
bfl
“I aim to misbehave” - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds
I hope to hell we aren't burying any of our heroes in a sh*thole country like Trashkanistan.
“Retreat, Hell! We just got here!” One of my favorites, although the author slips my mind...
“Retreat, hell! We’re not retreating, we’re just advancing in a different direction” General Oliver P. Smith at the Chosin Reservoir.
“We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” Chesty Puller in the same battle.
There are also too many great quotes to list here by Willie and Joe.
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