Soldiers Quotes

This was, in the beginning of the present century, the state of the Highlands. Every man was a soldier, who partook of national confidence, and interested himself in national honor. To lose this spirit, is to lose what no small advantage will compensate.

The sinews of war are not gold, but good soldiers; for gold alone will not procure good soldiers, but good soldiers will always procure gold.

If my soldiers were to begin to think, not one would remain in the ranks.

I suppose every man is shocked when he hears how frequently soldiers are wishing for war. The wish is not always sincere; the greater part are content with sleep and lace, and counterfeit an ardour which they do not feel; but those who desire it most are neither prompted by malevolence nor patriotism; they neither […]

The young dead soldiers do not speak. Nevertheless, they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them? They have a silence that speaks for them at night and when the clock counts. They say: We were young. We have died. Remember us. They say: We have done what we could but until […]

In war it is not just the weak soldiers, or the sensitive ones, or the highly imaginative or cowardly ones, who will break down. All will break down if in combat long enough. “Long enough” is now defined by physicians and psychiatrists as between 200 and 240 days. For every frontline soldier in the Second […]

The life of a modern soldier is ill represented by heroic fiction. War has means of destruction more formidable than the cannon and the sword. Of the thousands and ten thousands, that perished in our late contests with France and Spain, a very small part ever felt the stroke of an enemy; the rest languished […]

During the U.S. invasion of Panama, a U.S. Army sergeant waxed some Panamanian civilians – “civilians” who attacked U.S. soldiers at a roadblock with hand grenades. His officers rewarded him for probably saving his comrades’ lives by court-martialing him. Not only did they destroy morale, but they did the sergeant a huge injustice. Fortunately, he […]

“I’ve got something to say. Tell them it’s too damned serious over here to be talking about hot dogs and baked beans and things we’re missing. Tell them it’s hell, and tell them there’re men getting killed and wounded every minute, and they’re miserable and they’re suffering. Tell them it’s a matter more serious than […]

When you’re left wounded on Afganistan’s plains and the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains, And go to your God like a soldier.