Military Proverbs and Oaths
“Kill’em all, and let God sort’em out”
A colletion of military proverbs, oaths and quotes that doesn’t fit in the other categories on the site.
Enjoy the Military Oaths and Proverbs
“Kill’em all, and let God sort’em out”
(I have received several mails from you, asking about “Kill’em all, let God sort’em out”.
This is what I have found out. Please mail me if you know more)
“Kill’em all, and let God sort’em out” is adopted by the Marines and the Green Berets. I think it derives from “Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoset”, or “Kill them all. God will know His own.”. This was a misunderstood reference to 2 Tim. 2:19 which in part reads, “The Lord knoweth them that are his”. I think this comes from around 1210AD, when Pope Innocent III unleashed “orders of fire and sword” against heretics throughout Europe. In this process there was a terrible massacre at the city Beziers, where it was thought that over 100,000 people were killed. After that city where taken, they had captured over 450 “heretics”, but many of them claimed to be good Catholics. The quote is believed to be first used here, when they killed all the “heretics”. It did not matter if they killed good people, because if one led a godly life, God would know of it, and the reward would be eternal paradise anyway.
Extra info:
This was actually said by Arnaud-Armaury, the Abbot of Citeaux, the Papal
Legate. Though his exact words are not known, the latin equivalent, “Neca ecos omnes. Deus suos agnoscet.” (“Kill them all, God will know His own.”) was recorded by a monk who was present at the time. The Abbot had been asked by the military commander of the crusade, one Simon of Montfort, Earl of Leicester, how best to deal with the heretics. He complied readily, and so the crusade was carried out for twenty years.
http://www.medievalchurch.org.uk/h_cath_alb.html
Special Orders to No.1 Section 13/3/18
(1) This position will be held, and the section will remain here until relieved.
(2) The enemy cannot be allowed to interfere with this programme.
(3) If the section cannot remain here alive,
it will remain here dead, but in any case it will remain here.
(4) Should any man, through shell shock or other cause, attempt to surrender,
he will remain here dead.
(5) Should all guns be blown out, the section will use Mills grenades and other novelties.
(6) Finally, the position as stated, will be held.
F.P. Bethune Lt
O/C No.1 Section
Aa set of orders that an Australian LT gave to his machine-gun section on the western front in WWI.
This is quite well known in Australian military history, and pops up in a few books
(Tthe original written orders are at the Australian War Memorial)
I swear by God this sacred oath, that I will render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Fuehrer of the German Reich and people, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and will be ready as a brave soldier to risk my life at any time for this oath.”
– German Armed Forces Oath of Loyality
“For the burned cities and villages; for the deaths of our children and our mothers; for the torture and humiliation of our people; I swear revenge upon the enemy… I swear that I would rather die in battle with the enemy then surrender myself my people and my country to the Fascist invaders. Blood for blood! Death for death!”
– Russian War Oath
If we let people see that kind of thing, there would never again be any war.
– Pentagon official, on why US military censored graphic footage from the Gulf War
“In the sphere of leaflet propaganda the enemy has defeated us . . . The enemy has defeated us, not as man against man in the field of battle, bayonet against bayonet; no, bad contents poorly printed on poor paper have paralyzed our strength.”
– German Army report, WW I
“The center of gravity is “those characteristics, capabilities, or localities from which a military force derives its freedom of action, physical strength, or will to fight.””
– DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
“The first demand in war is decisive action. Everyone, the highest commander and the most junior soldier, must be aware that omissions and neglects incriminate him more severely than the mistake of choice of means.”
– Heers Dienstvorschrift 300 Truppenfurhrung
(German Army Regulation 300, Command of Troops), 1936
Military Relatred Proverbs
“It is better to live one day as a lion than a hundred years as a sheep.”
– Italian proverb
“Under a good general there are no bad soldiers.”
-Chinese proverb
“Though all under heaven be at peace, if the art of war be forgotten there is peril.”
– Chinese proverb
“A good run is better than a bad stand”
– Irish saying/proverb
“Shrimp may attack dragons in shallow water.”
– Traditional Chinese proverb
“Heroes are made by the times.”
– Traditional Chinese proverb
“True gold does not fear the test of fire.”
– Traditional Chinese proverb
“When you are the anvil, be patient. When you are the hammer, strike.”
– Arabian Proverb
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
– Japanese Proverb
“The enemy is but weeds to be moved”
– Aztec Proverb
“The hammer shatters glass but forges steel.”
– Russian proverb
“Tomorrow’s battle is won during today’s practice.”
– Samurai maxim
“Will yourself to stand ready and courageous on the battlefield. In this way, all that is difficult or dangerous will be yours.”
– The Way of the Samurai
“Allow your heart to remain at ease, and destiny will lead the way to accord with others.”
– The Way of the Samurai
“The soul is the body, and the body is the soul.
They are indistinguishable. Do not fear for the destruction of either.”
– The Way of the Samurai
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
– Matthew 5:9
“A man’s bone and skin can be burned away into powder and ash, but what’s left is without form. Courage, duty and honor have no permanent home.”
– In Harms Way:
The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of It’s survivors
Train hard, fight easy… and win.
Train easy, fight hard… and die.
– Unknown
A soldier must do everything he can to win the battle and most of the things he cant.
– Unknown
“It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.”
An unnamed major in the U.S. Army said this about the decision to bomb and shell the town of Bentre, according to an Associated Press dispatch.
– The New York Times, February 8, 1968
“For every dark night, there’s a bright day after that, so no matter how hard it gets keep your head up, stick your chest out and handle it.”
– Unknown
“Frederick the Great’s horse was on seven separate campaigns with him. In the end he was still a dumb horse.”
– Unknown (on experience in military decision-making)
If it moves, salute it; if it doesn’t move, pick it up; and if you can’t pick it up, paint it.
– Unknown (1940’s saying)
“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
“The Greatest glory consists not in never dying but in rising when we fall”
– Unknown Sergeant in Vietnam, probably said during the Hamburger Hill assault
