Reference: Favorite Military Quotes
 

"Although extraordinary valor was displayed by the entire corps of Spartans and Thespians (at Thermopylae), yet bravest of all was declared the Spartan Dienekes. It is said that on the eve of battle, he was told by a native of Trachis that the Persian archers were so numerous that, when they fired their volleys, the mass of arrows blocked out the sun. Dienkes, however, quite undaunted by this prospect, remarked with a laugh,

"Good. Then we'll have our battle in the shade."

"Come and get them."
Spartan King Leonidas' reply to the Persian Leader Xeres demand that the Spartans lay down their arms (at Thermopylae)

"Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.
monument at Thermopylae pass

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

Henry V

Those two posts on the spartans have got to be some of the best quotes of all time.

I'm not much for long speeches... "Nuts" works for me.

MY Favorite Quote!
 

It used to be "F#$k 'em if they can't take a joke!" But then I grew up.

I've had a number of them since then...including "Nuts" but I just read one in "Military Heritage" magazine that just hit me as right.

It is by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon) also known as Napoleon III Emperor of France.

WOW!

dog

I always enjoyed Patton quotes.....

"You don't win a war by dying for your country, you win a war by making the other poor, dumb bastard die for his."

"When you reach into a pile of goo that used to be your best friend's face.....you'll know what to do"

"My men can eat their belts, but my tanks gotta have gas!"

'I shall treat neutrality as equivalent to a declaration of war against me.'

-Gustavus Adolphus

'To be defeated is pardonable; to be surprised-never!'
-Napoleon

'The Grande Armée fought hard, seldom cheered, and always bitched.'

-Elzear Blaze

Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.
- General George Patton

"Alea Iacta Est"
("The Die is Cast")
-Julius Caesar

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum".
("If you wan't peace, prepare for war")
-Flavius Vegetius Renatus

"When cities burn and armies turn and flee in disarray, cowards will cry: 'Tis best to fly, and fight another day'. But warriors know in their marrow, When they die and fall, 'tis best to have fought and lost than not to have fought at all.'"
- Unknown
Ok, all for now:thumb:

My thoughts exactly Chrisvalla - my other favorite is "fixed fortifications are monumnents to the stupidity of man"

Can't remember who said it first, but it was later "borrowed" by Patton

I recently read article that calls into question the accuracy of the first Patton quote. Apparently the second segment ("poor dumb bastards") was an embellishment.

quotes
 

Just a quick correction it was Thebans who were with the Spartans at Thermopoly, thespians are actors.

"Medals and honors, it is with such things that men are led."
Napoleon

A bunch of good ones
 

I just got a bunch of good (and humorous) quotes in from a friend.

"Aim towards the Enemy" - Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher
"When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." - U.S. Army (magazine)
"Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." - U.S.A.F. Ammo Troop
"If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal
"A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - "PS" Army's magazine of preventive maintenance
"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just
bombed." - U.S. Air Force Manual
"Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
"Tracers work both ways." - U.S. Army Ordnance
"Five-second fuses only last three seconds." - Infantry Journal
"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - Col. David Hackworth
"If your attack is going too well, you're probably walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal
"No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection." - Joe Gay "
"Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once." - Anon
"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." - Unknown Army Recruit
"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Your Buddies
"If you see a bomb technician running, try to keep up with him." - U.S.A. Ammo Troop

I have another...

In the movie PATTON when asked by a chaplain about if he found anytime to read the bible Patton said "Yes sir, I do...EVERY G*****N DAY!"

Re: A bunch of good ones
 

:laugh: Good stuff!

The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave...
Patrick Henry

We have met the enemy and they are ours!
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, 1813

Army: A body of men assembled to rectify the mistakes of the diplomats.
Josephus Daniels

Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war.
Thucydides

Always forgive your enemies--nothing annoys them so much.
Oscar Wilde

Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I am attacking.
Ferdinand Foch at the Battle of the Marne

I hope all will forgive me for quoting a French General, it was too good to pass up.

I love Daniel's definition of an army...:laugh: