We have been examining many pieces of literature that look at War, soldiers and commentary on the like through many different lenses. For this first week's blog, please look for a quote outside of your book about war that speaks to you.
By saying speaks to you, I mean that when you read it you have a response that is either positive or negative. Type out the quote and explain in a solid paragraph what you think it says and why you picked it.
65 comments:
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left" -Bertrand Russell
This quote speaks to me because it points out that war is based on who can last the longest through rough conditions and not based on who is right. This bothers me because war is used to prove a point and prove that you (your country) is right, but war only forces your point. War is not based on discussion, it is based on destruction to strip a country of their opinion and force your own. I believe that war is only destructive and not constructive. If countries started actually talking over problems to prove who is right and not fighting to prove who is right, this world would be more cohesive. There would be less war and more peace and this world would go further in a shorter amount of time. We all have the same goals; living life to the fullest and enjoying it while it lasts. Why don't we start discussing our problems instead of killing people to prove a point.
"Here's the thing. Just because you're pro-troops doesn't mean you're pro-war. And just because you're anti-war doesn't mean you're anti-troops. Just because you don't support the war people think you are anti-troops and you are a bad guy." ~Toby Keith
I chose this quote because it talks about how a person could support the war, but not necessarily support the troops fighting in the war. Toby Keith is one of many country singers who are very active in supporting our nation's troops. The act of our country's men and women entering the military is a courageous act itself. The families of these soldiers support their son or daughter's acts of valor, however, most don't like the fact that our country is constantly fighting in wars. These men and women that go into the military know that if they are put in these scenarios where they have to physically fight, they are not only fighting for their life, but they are also fighting for their country's freedom. Toby Keith says himself that he supports the troops 100%, however, he isn't a supporter of the war itself. I like how it is stated in this quote that people see that someone doesn't support the war, and they automatically assume that this person does not support the troops risking their lives for their country. This statement is true, because even some soldiers may feel like they do no support war, however, they feel like they should be fighting for their country's freedom.
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” ~Sun Tzu
I chose this quote because it talks about how you don’t always have to fight to win a war. To win without fighting isn’t easy, but it is easier and ethical than killing everyone who doesn’t agree with you. Victory without fighting requires you to change your heart and mind, to win them over with your spirit, actions, and your words. Again, this isn’t always the easiest, but would taking over the world with just guns be any easier? Instead of killing those people literally, kill them with your words. Win without the fight, but with your mind and heart. Killing someone takes such a toll on a person; if I was in war, I just could not kill someone. Even if that person did bad, that’s just a lot weight on you, so don’t fight physically, but fight mentally.
-GardellaB 5/6 Period
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” – John F. Kennedy
This quote is trying to persuade people to stop fighting before our feelings, as well as our lives, are demolished in combat. I agree with this quote because I believe that war only leads to more hatred and violence and that nothing good can come out of it. I, too, believe that people should try and resolve their problems through peaceful negotiations instead of through conflict. I think that war affects people both physically, as well as emotionally; war is cruel and the battles soldiers endure only lead to an increase of injury and death. War also tugs at our emotional strings since it can destroy our compassion towards others, leaving us as shattered individuals. War is something that stays with us and those emotional scars, as well as physical losses, will never leave. If we don’t stop fighting soon, I believe that the idea of resolving and working out problems will be lost. Becca Gardella said, “To win without fighting isn’t easy, but it is easier and more ethical than killing everyone who doesn’t agree with you.” I agree with this because I believe that solving a problem through verbal techniques, has a greater effect on people than solving one through physical conflict, this is because it teaches them a lesson without having to put their life, or others, on the line. A human life can never be replaced and I don’t think the risk is worth it over such a temporary issue.
Muha, J 5-6th period
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
- Chief Tecumseh
To me this quote means a variety of different things. When I read it I think about how much I want to live my life to the fullest. That when it is my time to die I know that I will not be looking back on my life wishing I had more time to change things. I don’t want to wish that I would want to change anything about my life because I had already lived it just the way I wanted to. In war most of the times people die unexpected. During that moment of death I am sure that they wish they could change something. Tell someone something. Do something differently. The reason does not matter except for when it was their time to go they were not ready. I don’t want that to be me. I want to knowingly I did not leave any questions or doubt unanswered. I picked this quote because it symbolizes how I want to go when it is my time. That when I sing my death song I want to die like a hero going home.
-Danny Janowski
Only the dead have seen the end of the war.
- George Santayana
This quote speaks to me because it says that war will never end. When one war ends, another begins and there is never peace. There is always going to be conflict in the world because someone always wants more power or is unhappy with their government. The only peace there is is when you are dead.
"A hero of war is that what they see
Just medals and scars, so damn proud of me
And I brought home that flag, now it gathers dust
But it's a flag that I love, the only flag I trust" - Rise Against (A Hero of War)
I think this quote says about the ignorance that soldiers face when they come home from war. People go off to war in order to avoid the embarrassment of not going to war. Then when the soldiers return home, people do not really want to hear a gruesome war story, they would not even believe that those ones are true. People only want to hear what makes a soldier a hero, or what great work they have accomplished while being away. "I brought home that flag, now it gathers dust" could also even have a figurative meaning as well as the literal meaning that it carries. It could really mean that when soldiers return home, their memories are always there, gathering dust because most stories will go unheard. I picked this quote out because I thought it was very closely tied to The Things They Carried. As well as the rest of this song discusses a lot of what goes on behind the "glamor" of war.
Geiss, B 5-6th period
"Older men declare war. But it is the youth that fight and die."
- Herbert Hoover
This quote speaks to me in the sense that it not only relates to the book we are reading, but also my father was part of the Vietnam War, which was started by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson in relation to the vast majority of young soldiers fighting was an "older man". My dad happened to be on the other half of the quote when he was near the end of his junior year in high school. After going through training, by the beginning of his senior year he had been sent over to fight. Fortunately, he did not end up dying but the thought of that to me is unbearable. I couldn't imagine being a soldier at the age I am, let alone a year earlier.
Dingess 6-7 °
"The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." - Leo Tolstoy
This quote is a very simple yet powerful message that implies more than it states. Patience can be referenced to how long it may take to fight a war and to what needs to be done. War itself is not a quick process and can cause people to act out of haste instead of being logical. When this happens, people's actions can be easily influenced and will be much more aggressive. While this is true, time also plays just as much of an important role as well. Time is something that can heal and can harm. In war's standards it does both, while in war the destruction made on both sides will take much time to commit. It also takes even more time to heal from those wounds and sometimes they can never be healed. My hope is that war will be a last resort before ever having to use these "warriors" in battle. However, the same warriors can be used against war since time and patience are something that many people don't really have. Time is something that we all have to use in anyway we choose, and patience is best used on enemies since they would either accept it or quit from it.
Gino R, 3rd period
"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle."
-Norman Schwarzkopf
I chose this quote because it's saying how the real hero is someone who is brave and goes out there to fight for our country. I like how this tells us that in order to be a hero, you have to put yourself out there even if it's out of your comfort zone. Even if your afraid or scared.This just makes me even more grateful for all our brave soldiers fighting for our freedom.
"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."
-Douglas MacArthur
I completely agree with this quote from Douglas MacArthur because I believe soldiers do "suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." They are first torn away from the comfort of their own homes and are thrown into a hostile environment where Death walks stealthily. Soldiers are stripped of their innocence at such a young age, and are brainwashed to believe that a certain country's population is malicious and deceitful. This hatred is planted into their souls and explodes out with the release of each trigger. They witness gruesome deaths almost everyday, some dearest friends; others complete strangers, all causing mental and emotional damage to their once innocent mentalities. When death, murder, and hatred become normal for these soldiers, it’s hard for them to slide into the reality of their homeland once they return from the war. Most are mentally disoriented and traumatized to the point where a sound, smell, or thought brings them back to an experience that is glued to their memories forever. There is nothing they can do to erase them.
B. Klinko 3*
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind” – John F. Kennedy
This quote speaks to me because it is really showing what could happen if we don’t end war. It is stating that if we don’t put an end to war, war will put an end to all of us. I think it is referring to the eventually everyone will result to violence in the near future, like killing other soldiers. I believe that we don’t have to resolve all out conflicts with war, or any kind of negative way to deal with problems. Our country is always fighting in wars, and I think that we should find another way to solve problems. Not only are we losing our family, friends and loved ones, but also we are just making a bigger mess in the near future.
Krencisz, A 3rd period
“The time to take counsel of your fear is before you make an important battle decision. That’s the time to listen to every fear you can imagine! When you collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead!”
-George S. Patton
This quotes speak to me in the fact Patton is talking about how fear can effect a soldier mostly mentally rather than physically. If fear gets in the way of a soldier mind, than that can make a huge difference if it mean a life or death scenario which lots of soldier does not like to play this type of game of chance. It’s also important that being more focus on the fight rather than the worrying gives more soldiers a better edge over enemies. The solution to this non avoidable problem in Patton mind is to list, the priorities, fears, and a final decision. Once that is done be ready to fight and let all fears go with the wind like it was never there will have soldier continue the fight with no mental obstacles in anyone path.
Dhanraj, J. 3rd Period
"All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal." ~John Steinbeck
In The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers, the character named Bartle watches as innocent people die while fighting in Al Tafar, Iraq. The inability to think before killing is a great travesty and yet it is not at the level of the individual soldiers that needs to be analyzed and criticized but rather that of the higher ups. War comes from those people who have power being able to influence those around them into following them blindly into fighting. For war to start all it requires is a single influential person to be incapable of thinking and resolving their grievances without the use of fighting. In the King Arthur, John Dryden said, “War is the trade of kings.” People have continue to believe they are more superior than all other animals, yet they continue to fight for no reason or under the direction of only a few people. Using one’s own morals and logic should be enough to lead them to the conclusion that just because someone else suggests an idea it is not what is necessary. For those people who have power and can force others to do as they wish. This quote reminded me of when I fight at my home whether it with my parents or younger brothers. We let our own opinions and ranging emotions take control and the situation can end up in a confrontation. Wars are just fights between countries. They have different views and occasionally have made a mistake or let their mindless beliefs take over. Without thought and self-control, mankind with fail and continue to plunge itself in war and self-destruction.
-KempC, 1st Period
"One is left with the horrible feeling now that war settles nothing; that to win a war is as disastrous as to lose one" -Agatha Christie
This quote stands out to my mind being that it is simply the truth. Win or lose a war for both sides the outcome it has on the people fighting it is the same. Men and women fighting day in and day out to send freedom to their country back home. However if the war is won, still many deaths and traumatic problems had been caused. Same with losing a war, the deaths extreme, watching one fellow troop get killed at a time. The people fighting these wars to them they're only thinking "How can I survive today?" The constant worry of death haunting them.There has to be another way then creating such more massive problems by abusing these people in war.
Anzo 3rd
If we don't end war, war will end us.
-H.G. Wells
I decided to chose this quote because it is short and the point. This quote states that war is a terrible thing if we don’t end the fighting the fighting will end us. This strikes me very positively because my stance on war is the more on the peaceful side. I believe that a nation should be able to talk out there problems and not always have to go to war. While war may seem like it just killing and gore it also has its economic setbacks. Nations can go deep into debt after war, this is just only another reason why war can end us. But overall i believe that this quote shows the peaceful side of things, kind of trying to get you to think of other alternatives besides war.
Bulic, E 1*
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
-Albert Einstein
what this quote is saying is that the weapons that are utilized in world war 3 will result in world war 4 being fought with sticks and stones.this quote speaks volumes about the importance of diplomacy and peaceful solution to a conflict. With all the nukes present in the world today, it is a good possibility that the next world war could be a nuclear one and as a result,the losing side could be just a crater in the ground.
Kilgore, J 3rd Period
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind."
-John F. Kennedy
This quote spoke to me because it really talks about the evils of war.This is a very simple quote yet can be very frightening to think about. If war is not stopped, all of mankind can be terminated. In fact this has happened in the past. In WW2, Adolf Hitler committed mass genocide against the Jewish people killing 6 million people. Millions of innocent people were killed simply because they had separate views from one of different beliefs. Men of great power will stop at nothing to win a war and have more power for themselves. The mass murders and killing of one another needs to stop, there is simple no reason to be killing one another because of different beliefs
-Weber,A 1st Period
“I want you to remember, that no poor dumb bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it, by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.” - George S. Patton Jr
This quote speaks to me because no matter which side wins the war no one ends up turning out a hero. Every soldiers ultimate goal is to simply survive. Basically it is every man for himself. In some cases if it comes down to killing the enemy and or killing a fellow soldier, one must do what they can to survive. No one comes home with something to be proud of. When leaving war one is in a way ashamed and wants to clear the past out of their mind for good. Everyone in war has their own buddy but in the end it is only important for themselves to walk out alive to see their family. One wins war by surviving and that is the only goal. Promises are not kept goals are set and determined to be accomplished and until that happens nothing else really matters.
The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
-John F. Kennedy
I chose this quote because it talks about how Americans will never give up their freedom and will never surrender to a foreign power. This quote exemplifies how tough we really are and that submission isn't an option. The United States has never really lost a war or have been in a position to lose our freedom. I picked this quote because it kind of pumps you up, it really shows how we value freedom and that we will do whatever it takes to keep it. Kennedy was a great president and this showed people that he will do whatever it takes to stay the way we are and that we will never give up.
-Nickles,A 5-6th period
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
This quote by Eisenhower really impacted me while I read it because each other quotes I read about focused on how men are the cause for war and whoever is left standing is the one who wins. This quote reflects on how countries use so much of their money and resources to create weapons that kill instead of investing this money in the people of their countries and how we take care of them. War is supposed to be about defending our country and caring for it, if one was to care for their country wouldn't they want to help the people in it. Instead they chose to hurt the people for other countries. War shouldn't be all about the technology that goes into it, it should be about the heart.In my novel, The Yellow Birds, Kevin Powers writes about reaching for his gun and believing that its his only protection. The soldiers in war and the people home only depend on the weapons we have rather than the men we have fighting for us. Everyone has their opinion on war and though men do fight for our country, men should also care for the people in their country that are struggling for simple resources to keep them alive.
Al-Zarraq, M, 5/6th period
"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." -William Sherman
This quote, although it is short, is powerful because it is true. War will forever be cruel and there is nothing that can change that. It speaks to me because it shows how the definition of war does not change. It will always be riddled with casualties and bloody battles. After a war is started, the quickest way to end it is to slaughter the enemy. The bloodier it is, the faster it will end. When the enemy is slaughtered, there is nobody else to fight.
Shotzbarger, N. 3rd Period
"There was never a good war, or a bad peace."
- Benjamin Franklin
I chose this quote because I agree with what Benjamin Franklin is saying. Even if a peace was unjust, it is still a time of peace where no one is harming each other. War is always the result of one country (or two sides within one country) not agreeing with the other's politics. Each country in the world is run by their own system whether anyone else agrees with it or not. We, as a country, stand for individual freedoms and believe that all people of other countries get to share the same. Although this seems to be the best way to run a country, it is sill frowned upon by by countries like Russia and North Korea. I am not saying that freedom is a silly issue that shouldn't be fought over, because it's not, but the tyrants ruling the opposing countries revoke the freedoms of their people for the sole reason of personal gain and making their country do the best economically. There are a lot of petty reasons to go to war and I believe one reason is refusing to give freedom to the people in your country. If everyone is content and at peace for any unknown reason, it is better than having to fight a war where no side wins.
Bloxsom, N. 5/6th period.
"Only the dead have seen the end of the war." -George Santayana
This quote has a few different meanings and is the main reason it stood out to me. The first meaning, of course, being about war. The quote is saying the only way to see the end of the war is to die or be killed. Just because you may not be in action anymore does not mean the war is over. The second meaning is that the war in life is never ending. Every day that you wake up is another battle to conquer. Each day you wake up your tested to see how much more you have left in you and until you stop waking up, you do not see the end of the war.
“War doesn’t determine who is right- only who’s left” - Bertrand Russell
This quote speaks to me because it is showing that war is not about anything except killing the opponent. War does not solve any problems it is just showing who has more power to fill the other one off. This quote is very powerful because war is only about dying and it makes the reader realize that. Whoever has more soldiers alive “wins” the war and it should not be that way. War can be avoided and no one can be killed for their country if language could be used instead to solve our problems. Killing each other will solve no problems and its hurting the families that lose a family member in the war.
PoznaN 5/6 Period
"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." -William Tecumseh Sherman
This quote talks about how that war is a very cruel thing. It is stating that the only way to get it over quickly is to make it more cruel. Much like ripping a ripping a band aid off. The more quickly it is ripped off, the faster it is over. If the war the war is so cruel, make it more cruel so that the other side has to give up because they have lost too much already. if you eliminate their resources at once, you may have more casualties, but things are over much faster than they would have been had you waited weeks or months in between. This quote speaks to me because it says that to limit things, you have to go the whole way at once, not bits and pieces at one time. For example, the two bombs dropped in Japan. The U.S. was no longer waiting around for Japan to attack them again, they got their weapons, armed themselves and took care of the problem at once. it caused a lot of destruction which would effect Japan for a long time but it stopped the war because of how cruel it became, and all at once.
Gati N- 1st Period
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
This quote speaks to me because of the truth behind it. The truth is, soldiers join the war to protect their own families and the country that they live in. No one personally knows the soldiers on the other side of the battle ground; therefore, there is no personal intentions to fight. All the soldiers know is that they love what they are fighting for so much to the point they would die for it. If a soldier goes into battle, they have something in mind that they are fighting for, so they are not going into battle for no reason just to fight.
Renfro, B. 1st period
"The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission." -John F. Kennedy
This quote shows, that freedom is loved in America, every individual enjoys being free. JFK said that the price was high, we had to lose troops, have wars, and fight to make it and keep liberty and freedom. The quote shows and speaks that Americans will never surrender freedom, and that they'll never submit to anything that is against democracy. We are a nation that loves being free, and being able to speak in what we believe in, and not be judged by the law for it. I picked this quote because it has strong meaning to the way I feel about America. I, as every other American does, love my freedom and my right to speak freely. This quote is very powerful to me for that very reason.
-Tyler Hardy
"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion." - Alexander the Great
This quote speaks to me because it shows the power of leadership. It is showing how no matter how strong someone is, they will fall any day to someone with strong leadership. This quote is not just true for war situations but for everyday life. With having many talented people working on something, but if there is not leadership, it was just become a disaster with having no one in charge. But with one strong leader with many under them willing to work, then the work will be organized and get done. Another example is with professional athletes. How can one team excell over another even though they are all so talented. It is the coaching staff that will bring the team to victory. So no matter how strong the force is, if they have no leadership, then a weaker force with strong leadership will come out victorious.
Pelka. E. 1st period.
“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones” - Albert Einstein.
This quote spoke to me because with mankind’s growing technology it is inevitable that the next Great War will send us back to the Stone Age so-to-speak, that is unless it destroys us all. It shows the doubt Einstein had in our ability to find peace in the future, because it is the nature of mankind to kill. Even the second half of the quote reinforces his belief that we won’t learn from our mistakes. We are using our natural gifts as a people to wage war instead of ensuring the welfare of our future generations.
"The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war." - Norman Schwarzkopf. I chose this quote because it's saying that the more effort countries and the people in the country do to increase their ties with other countries, there is a less chance of them going into war. If more people were more apppreciative, understanding, and patient, I truly think that others would not be compelled to go into war. It might take more time to be these things, but in the end, there would be a lower body count in some countries.
Jenny Wiley
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind” -John F. Kennedy.
This quote speaks to me because it shows a reality of war. We have been fighting for years on end, and this quote basically says that if we keep it up, there will not be anyone to fight future battles. Take September 11th, 2001 for example. On one regular day, a city was destroyed, families were pulled apart, and a nation was left in agony. Thousands of innocent people died that day, and in return our nation then sent hundreds of armed forces into battle to fight for what was just done to our country. We have been fighting for years and as soon as we believe we have a break through, another threat is made and back to war we go. It never ends, millions of people have died, and for what reason? When you really think about it, there is always going to be something that goes against what someone else believes, but to send people into battle just to create more turmoil and fight for their lives almost isn’t worth it anymore. We need to stop fighting, before the fighting leads to the death of a whole nation.
Winston, S. 5-6*
You know it's funny when it rains it pours.
They got money for wars, but can't feed the poor. – Tupac Shakur
I chose this quote because it shows how the United States can afford to go to war, but they cannot even provide food for all of the homeless and poor people in our country. In 2013, we spent $4.7 Billion on targeted homeless. However, we also spent $715 Billion on the Iraq War alone! We have also spent $297 Billion on the war in Afghanistan. I think it is unacceptable that we can only spare such a small amount compared to the most recent years of war. We have spent a total of over a trillion dollars on just two wars. I believe that we need to increase our spending on homeless and on entitlement programs.
J. Besida
"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its stupidity."
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, speech, Jan. 10, 1946
This quote could mean a lot of different things to different people. To me this quote is saying only soldiers who have been in war can explain the true brutalitys and horrors of war.this quote really soaks me because we are all so terrified of war and we haven't even experienced it. So i feel like are soilders should be treated better and have better pay because they risk there lives to keep everyone else safe. To me this is also saying when it congress on decisions towards war we should talk to Veterans of war.
“Real heroes do not wear capes, they wear dog tags”
I wanted to find a quote that was different from all the other ones. There are so many quotes on the war and on soldiers that speak the truth that the one I wanted to share with you is one that spoke to me. I remember when someone told me this quote because it really surprised me and gave me that “wow” moment. It kind of just stuck with me after that. I really liked this quote because I find it speaks more than the truth. Being a hero is not someone who puts on a cape and comes when someone screams for help. Being a hero is someone who wakes up in the morning next to his brothers and sisters and fights for their country every day. They do not wait to hear for a situation that needs a hero, they put themselves in dangerous situation to protect others. Soldiers do not wear disguises or try to hide their hard work. They are the hero’s in this world. We cannot even describe what a true soldiers has to go through or try to understand what it means to be a soldier unless we are one. Soldiers are more than amazing and they were the dog tags to prove it.
-Alexa Shaneyfelt 3rd period
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind."- John F. Kennedy
This quote is telling us to stop fighting. It is stating that if we don’t stop it will end every one of us. I agree with this quote because we don’t have to resolve all out conflicts with war, whenever looked at our country is always fighting in a war. I think if we find a different solution it will be better because war just leads to the death of friends, family and others. Not everyone is going to have the same belief that doesn’t mean if people don’t agree we just have to start a war this fighting has to stop.
(I don't know if this is exactly about war.. but)
"Sometimes we need to lose the small battles inorder to win the war."
This quote speaks to me because I can relate it to my life. There have been a lot of struggles in my life and there have been some mental battles and struggles that I've encountered. Sometimes we need to let those small obstacles to "win" in our life so they can teach us how to fix or do things better in the future. If we lose a small battle and we take that to heart and let it get to us mentally and physically, we sometimes let it keep us down and we don't move forward from it. If we lose, we have to get back on our feet and head on to the bigger battle we face.
"Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart... Sing your death song
and die like a hero going home" -Chief Tecumseh
To me, this quote symbolizes the courage and valor within each soldier who serves his, or hers, country. The quote has an emotional importance because it makes you want to live your life as if every day is your last. It shows to have courage in everything you do, and never let judgment stop you from being the best person you could be. The quote also has honor written all over it about how dying is the only true way to go "home".
"We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war but the positive affirmation of peace."
--Martin Luther King Jr.
This quote speaks to me in a way that the other quotes I looked at did not. It speaks to me because I agree most with this quote and the implications it holds. The positive affirmation of peace is something that I strive to live by and that I hope that those around me strive to live by. I feel that thinking of things in a negative manner, such as the ‘negative expulsion of war’ is not as good as thinking of things in a positive manner, like the ‘positive affirmation of peace.’ It is my belief that thinking this way is healthier for the mind and body because of the psychological impacts it has on everyday life. If we think more positively, we will lead a more positive life. However if we focus instead on the riddance of negative things, although not bad, this manner of thinking is not as good as it can be thinking of life more positively; like thinking that the glass is half full.
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
This comment speaks to me because it relates to "The Things They Carried". Lieutenant Cross, at first, did not fight because he hated war, he fought because he loved Martha. He went to war because he was drafted, and he tried to run but he was a coward. He did not want to look like a fool for the rest of life having to run, and never return home.
-Megan Zajkowski 5/6
"The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission."-John F. Kennedy
This quote sticks out to me because in any war we have ever fought we did it for freedom and to protect the U.S.A. When we have gone to war we stick up for the soldiers that are fighting for our country. I like how Kennedy says we will never surrender. This quote shows a lot of power or dominance to me. Kennedy saying this means we will do anything it takes to win a battle and even if we do loose we stilled tried and would never give up. No matter what situation America is in we will always fight till the end win or loose.
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind." - J.F.K.
This quote speaks to me because there's so much meaning behind those few words. War has gone on for so long that we've forgotten what life is like without it. Every day on the news there is always something new about war. Before we know it there will be a huge war and not many will survive, unless we do something about it. J.F.K. warned us that one day war will completely destroy us unless we do something to stop it from getting out of hand.
Husak, L 5/6 period
"War does not determine who is right, but who is left" - Bertrand Russell
This quote speaks to me because it describes how fighting in war does not actually come to a resolution by agreement. Instead of compromising and coming to an agreement, the two enemies in the war fight to the death to determine who will get their way. The innocent soldiers fighting for their country are killing other innocent soldiers because that is what they are supposed to do. At the end of the war, no one is looked at as right; it only determines how many soldiers are left that did not die in battle. One group of people forces their opinion into another group by killing more of their people and that does not determine being right.
- Jake Busch 5/6
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime." Earnest Hemingway
I chose this quote because it speaks personal beliefs and agrees with my books meaning and message of the story. I read "The Things They Carried" and so far i have gotten the impression that the author, O'Brien, had these same thoughts about the war. He felt that it was not okay to send people to war because of the aftermath of the soldiers and how they can never see the world in the same way they once did. I also feel that the author doesn't feel that the Vietnam war is necessary.I feel the same way that Vietnam wasn't necessary but it did help prevent world crisis. I agree with this quote because i feel that war is a very complicated matter and is needed but should not be promoted as a good thing.
Alex Ferry 1st Period
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind." -John F. Kennedy
This quote speaks to me because I agree with it whole heartedly. I think that if we wish to continue to expand our horizons we need to turn our backs on our warmongering ways. This quote shows that idea, if we don't put an end to war, it will be the end of us. We already have the firepower, all it would take is the push of a button. In a way most people have already realized the dangers of war, that's why we have enough sense to never go as far as mutually assured destruction.
-Spencer Kinder, 1st Period
"Only the dead have seen the end of the war." -George Santayana
What I really love about this quote is that this pretty much sums up war. War is a never-ending thing. Wars have been fought ever since civilizations have been around. This quote speaks to me because if you die, that is the only way you can see the end of war, if you can't even be alive to see it happening. Santayana is also saying that war is never going to end, there will always be constant disputes between other societies. In his point of view, death is the only way out of it. I felt that this quote is very descriptive beyond the 10 words that are in it. This quote tells a story that as long as you are alive, you cannot escape war.
-Hudak, N. 3rd Period
“Once upon a time . . .” “In the beginning was . . .” That’s the way it always starts off. Every story, gospel, history, chronicle, myth, legend, folktale, or old wives’ tale blues riff begins with “Woke up this mornin’. . . .” - Steven Tyler
This quote really speaks to me about war because, when your in war, you can't say once apon a time, or in a sunny morning or anything sweet and hear warming really. War is not a fairy tail as we play it to be sometimes, we add so much fiction to it sometimes we forget what war is really about. And what I belive Steven is saying in this piece is that most of the time when you wake up in the morning you hear the birds chirping, the sun shining and the puffy white clouds in the sky. To waking to bombs going off a few feet in front of you and gun fire, the sounds of birds chirping to the sound of men screaming in agony. We forget what war is really about, because we play it off in movies like it's dramatic and when we get shot we roll down a hill and we break a leg and run it off without even crying. No that does not happen, you lay there and you cry your freaking eyes out with a bone sticking out of your leg as your dragging yourself to the nearsest place of saftey to break out your first aid kit hidden in your helmet to re-align the bone and sow yourself shut while trying to defend yourself. So when you wake up in the morning or when you read a book just remember how lucky you are to wake up to sounds of birds, the sun shining on your face, big white puffy clouds in the sky, a nice breakfast with a wonderful day, compared to the average soilder.
PieperK 3*
September 21, 2014 at 9:38 pm
We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
Winston Churchill
I chose this quote because it shows the true loyalty and commitment of a soldier and it is very powerful. This quote speaks to the reader and allows them to feel as if they were too and soldier fighting for their land and what they believe in. It shows that true commitment for a soldier is not just about doing what they were told to do but fighting for what they believe in regardless of where the battle field is located. The quote also says that there is not one specific setting that war is located, war is everywhere around you. The last thing that a true soldier ever does is surrender.
Abbie storc 5/6
No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.-George S. Patton. I choose this quote because Patton is totally right. In the books we are reading the Authors glorify the "Heroes of war", however this a lie. The cold truth is that to win a war you have to beat your enemy. This is why our books we read in school desensitize us from the truth, they tell us the glorified story's of our countries heroes. They tell us to die for your country is the greatest honer and you will be a hero. Why not be a war hero and kill the bad guys and come home safely?
Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.
John F. Kennedy
This quote is saying that war needs to end and the world needs to be at peace. What he means, is that if war doesn't end it will eventually wipe out all of humanity because so many lives are taken during the war.
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” (John F. Kennedy)
This quote speaks to me because I think our technology is advancing so quickly. I think this new technology would make it possible in the near future to create a weapon of mass destruction that could completely destroy and entire population of people. Instead of making peace with our enemies we think fighting will solve disputes. We also always help our allies to fight for their freedoms. I feel like the United States is making more enemies especially with all the threats of terrorism and another country would not hesitate to use a weapon of mass destruction if it was available to them.
- hotz . k
"The thing about war is that you’re fighting for what you know is right, but so are they." -Unknown
Out of all the quotes that I read, this was one that not only spoke to me, but allowed me to understand war from both perspectives. This quote spoke to me because it showed me that what we think is right and what we believe, might not be what other countries find to be ethical. What we are raised to believe could easily be the opposite of what a country on the opposite side of the world believes to be correct. In war, neither side views themselves as wrong wrong when it comes to their reason for fighting, because each side is doing what is right within their culture and society. When it comes to war, each side is going to view their enemy's belief's as wrong, and that each side is fighting for what they believe and what they view as being morally right.
“War. War never changes. Since the dawn of human kind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything: from God to justice to simple, psychotic rage.” –Ron Perlman.
This quote speaks about how war is always just a stupid thing humanity takes part in. War is always about opposing beliefs or some psychotic rage as this quote states. War is something unnecessary and that we have been doing it since the beginning of all human life. This quote really speaks to me because most of the time war just seems like something completely unnecessary in life and so many people lose their lives for the stupid little things we fight over. This quote points out the negative things the world fights over and it really is ridiculous how our beliefs can make us murder one another.
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." -Sun Tzu
This quote is saying that you must win the war first by having confidence and pride. You must have these traits before you enter the battle or else you will fail. Many warriors go to battle and focus only on emerging victorious. The other warriors have already one. They have been fighting with pride and confidence, with a mindset of no failure and no victory, because they know they have already won the war. They know this because they have confidence and pride in their fellow warriors and themselves.
Boltz 1st
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind." - John F. Kennedy
This quote shows that it is man who starts the wars, and it must be man who ends them all together. John F. Kennedy is trying to say that if the people do not stop going in and put of wars, our world as we know it will crumble. He is saying that wars could be the end of us if wars are not stopped soon. With advances in weapons constantly, one act of war could eventually cause the downfall of everyone.
Crosher W, 3rd
“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” (Douglas MacArthur).
This quote is saying that as the men and women who are actually out on the front lines and in the trenches fighting, those are the people who are praying the most and and scared for their life. This quote really speaks to me because thinking to every prayer of every american who desires to have their relative or friend survive and come home safe, these millions of prayers still don’t compare to what is happening in the minds of the soldiers themselves. This really stresses the utter horribleness of war and what it puts people through. It builds even more respect for the people fighting and just makes you want them to come out on top and come home safe that much more.
Vadym Gabyak 3rd
"Music's the only thing that makes sense anymore, man. Play it loud enough, it keeps the demons at bay"
- JoJo (Across the Universe)
This quote speaks to me because you see how little we know about the war. And there was really nothing that we could do about it, we had to see our sons, brothers, cousins, and friends shipped off to a war that we didn't know much about. The quote has a tired kind of tone to it, which is what a lot of people felt about Vietnam if they weren't angry about it. It also shows that the only way to deal with the problem was to distract yourself from it, and I don't think is a bad way to deal with things.
“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
― Albert Einstein
this quote speaks to me by saying, humans will destroy each other so greatly that we will go back to sticks and stones. this quote is greatly powerful. humans are developing bigger and greater weapons to kill each other with to the point where we will just end up destroying each other. war is a cruel and insane thing to think about where will we be in the next wars with weapon development.
"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country." - Bertrand Russell
This quote speaks to me because I am a firm believer that war and the military is glorified. We see the commercials on T.V. that move people to want to join the Navy or we hear of the heroic actions of soldiers, but we never hear about the not so glamorous side of war. We hear about the men and women who die for our country, but we really don't think about how many thousands of people American soldiers have killed. Whether it is right or it is wrong that we are killing others, we don't ever hear about it.
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
This quote speaks to me because soldiers usually have a meaning why they go into war. I say that because soldiers go into war to fight for freedom, protect their country. So when they say ' but because he loves what is behind him." thats saying that they cant let eachother down and that they will fight until they win.
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