History Quotes / ArmchairMilitary

->"Odd," said a fellow veteran of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, "that [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush Bush]] and Cheney are so delighted to put us to war when, during [[UsefulNotes/VietnamWar Vietnam]], they were what we both used to call draft dodgers." But then we agreed that in our politics the sissies are always cheerleading the real guys to go give their lives. Real soldiers like UsefulNotes/ColinPowell are less gung-ho.

->"Odd," said a fellow veteran of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, "that [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush Bush]] and Cheney are so delighted to put us to war when, during [[UsefulNotes/VietnamWar Vietnam]], they were what we both used to call draft dodgers." But then we agreed that in our politics the sissies are always cheerleading the real guys to go give their lives. Real soldiers like Colin Powell are less gung-ho.

-->-- ''Series/BabylonFive'', [[Recap/BabylonFiveFilm01InTheBeginning "In the Beginning"]]

->"The war was being run by a bunch of four-star clowns who were gonna end up giving the whole circus away."

->"The Rebs have decided that bridge is the key to this whole area. Stupid, useless bridge! Flyspeck on Headquarters' maps. Headquarters has declared we must take that ridiculous flyspeck. Even if all of us are killed. Otherwise the key'll get rusty and just be a spot on the wall."

->"How did ''you'' get in the Navy? How did ''you'' get on our side? You ignorant, arrogant, ambitious--! Keeping sixty-two men in prison 'cause you got [[CargoShip a palm tree]] for the work ''they'' did. I don't know which I hate worse, you or that ''other'' [[YesMan malignant growth]] that stands outside the door."
-->-- '''Doug Roberts''', ''Mr. Roberts'' (1955)

->''The Neocon’s idea of war is like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll the virgin's idea of sex]]. Neocons are utterly, totally, and completely ignorant of war and the military. No Neocon has ever served in the military, and veterans are categorically excluded from being called a Neocon. Neocons used their wealth and privilege to avoid their generation's war, yet feel they are qualified experts on the subject.''

->"I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the president. That's the answer to that. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail."

->"We were damned lucky we didn't blow up the world -- and no thanks to the political or military leadership of this country."

->"It's not the generals, it's the civilians who authorize and organize the worst war crimes."

->''"Odd," said a fellow veteran of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, "that [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush Bush]] and Cheney are so delighted to put us to war when, during [[UsefulNotes/VietnamWar Vietnam]], they were what we both used to call draft dodgers." But then we agreed that in our politics the sissies are always cheerleading the real guys to go give their lives. Real soldiers like Colin Powell are less gung-ho.''

->''The president liked generals. The more fruit salad they wore, the better....What the president did not like was ''listening'' to generals, who, for the most part, were skilled in the new Army jargon of [=PowerPoint=], data dumps, [=McKinsey=]-like presentations. One of the things that endeared Flynn to the president was the fact that Flynn, quite the conspiracist and drama queen, had good storytelling sense.''

'''Giles''': ''You're'' waging a war. ''She's'' fighting it. There is a difference.

->'''Travers''': We're not in the business of fair, Miss Summers; we're fighting a war.\\
'''Giles''': You're waging a war. She's fighting it. There is a difference.

->"I fired him because he
wouldn't respect the authority of the president. That's the answer to that. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail."

->''I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting -m-- its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands and fathers...'tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated...that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.''

->''Comrade Merklov, you can send your "source" from the headquarters of the German air force [[YourMom to his fucking mother]]. He is not a source, but a dis-informant.''
-->--'''UsefulNotes/JosephStalin''' responding to a dispatch from the front warning that the Germans were going to invade

->''I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting - its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands and fathers...'tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated...that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.''

->No wonder Kurtz [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent put a weed up Command's ass]]. The war was being run by a bunch of four-star clowns who were gonna end up giving the whole circus away.

->The Rebs have decided that bridge is the key to this whole area. Stupid, useless bridge! Flyspeck on Headquarters' maps. Headquarters has declared we must take that ridiculous flyspeck. Even if all of us are killed. Otherwise the key'll get rusty and just be a spot on the wall.

->You take it from me, we are losing the war because we can salute too well.

'''Giles''': You're ''waging'' a war. She's fighting it. There is a difference.

'''Londo Mollari''': (''laughs in disbelief'') They have a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior caste]]! Not exactly the same thing, hm?\\

->They tell us that the Admiral\\

Because the Admiral has never been to sea

->Come you masters of war\\

I can see through your masks

->How is it that the only ones responsible for making this mess\\
Got their sorry asses stapled to a goddamn desk?

->A war waged by committee is a war already lost.

->How did ''you'' get in the Navy? How did ''you'' get on our side? You ignorant, arrogant, ambitious--! Keeping sixty-two men in prison 'cause you got [[CargoShip a palm tree]] for the work ''they'' did. I don't know which I hate worse, you or that ''other'' [[YesMan malignant growth]] that stands outside the door.

->The Neocon’s idea of war is like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll the virgin's idea of sex]]. Neocons are utterly, totally, and completely ignorant of war and the military. No Neocon has ever served in the military, and veterans are categorically excluded from being called a Neocon. Neocons used their wealth and privilege to avoid their generation's war, yet feel they are qualified experts on the subject.

->''Comrade Merklov, you can send your "source" from the headquarters of the German air force to his fucking mother. He is not a source, but a dis-informant.''

->"I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the president. That's the answer to that. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail."
-->--'''UsefulNotes/HarrySTruman''' on '''UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur'''

->It's not the generals, it's the civilians who authorize and organize the worst war crimes.
-->-- '''Noam Chomsky'''

->We were damned lucky we didn't blow up the world -- and no thanks to the political or military leadership of this country.
-->-- '''Maj. Don Clawson''', B-52 pilot during the Cuban Missile Crisis

->I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting - its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands and fathers [...] 'tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated [...] that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.

->The old man in the dress-coat, that is the famous General So-and-So. [...] He is the same who initiated the great offensive at V. back then. "The troops of the general," it said in the army bulletin, "were assigned to storm the heights of the village in the night to today." It is he who assigned them. His light blue, slightly watery eyes which I see before me give no hint that this man once stood next to a telephone, with maps, sketches, pencils and aide-de-camps before him, and shouted an order into the mouthpiece with an excited voice. "Will you see to it...!" the voice said. Then he hung up. The following morning 8,472 men fell on our side. They got their mass grave. The general got a decoration.
-->-- '''Kurt Tucholsky''', ''Der General im Salon'' (1924)

->"Odd," said a fellow veteran of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, "that [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush Bush]] and Cheney are so delighted to put us to war when, during [[UsefulNotes/VietnamWar Vietnam]], they were what we both used to call draft dodgers." But then we agreed that in our politics the sissies are always cheerleading the real guys to go give their lives. Real soldiers like Colin Powell are less gung-ho.

[[folder:Film - Live-Action]]

-->-- Union Captain, ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly''

[[folder:Live-action TV]]

-->--'''UsefulNotes/HarrySTruman on Douglas [=MacArthur=]

[[AC:Film--Live-action]]

-->--'''Union Captain''', ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly''

->No wonder Kurtz [[WeHaveBecomeComplacent put a weed up Command's ass]]. The war was being run by a bunch of four star clowns who were gonna end up giving the whole circus away.
-->--'''Willard''', ''Film/ApocalypseNow''

->'''Col. Pluskat:''' (at Normandy, seeing the incoming invasion fleet) "The invasion's come! There must be five thousand ships out there!"
->'''Lt. Col. Ocker:''' (miles away, sipping coffee) "Don't be ridiculous, Pluskat: the allies don't have half that many."
->'''Pluskat:''' "Well, damn it! Come and look for yourself!"
->'''Ocker:''' (laughing) "Pluskat, just where are those ships heading?"
->'''Pluskat:''' "STRAIGHT FOR ME!"
-->--''Film/TheLongestDay''

[[AC:Literature]]

-->--'''Erich Maria Remarque''', ''Literature/AllQuietOnTheWesternFront''

[[AC:Live-action TV]]

->'''Worf''': He says that you struck his name from an officers list because his family comes from the Ketha lowlands.\\
'''Kor''': Did I? [[ButForMeItWasTuesday I don't recall.]] Of course, there were so many officer lists. I suppose it's possible.\\
'''Worf''': It is an unworthy reason to bar a man from serving the Empire.\\
'''Kor''': Worf, you've been living among this democratic rabble for too long.
-->--''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', "Once More Into the Breach"

'''Londo Mollari''': [laughs in disbelief] They have a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior caste]]! Not exactly the same thing, hm?\\

-->--''Series/BabylonFive'', [[Recap/BabylonFiveFilm01InTheBeginning "In the Beginning"]]

[[AC:Music]]

->''"How is it that the only ones responsible for making this mess\\
Got their sorry asses stapled to a goddamn desk?"''
--> -- '''Music/TomWaits''', "Hell Broke Luce"

->''"They tell us that the Admiral\\

Because the Admiral has never been to sea"''
-->--'''Irving Berlin''', "We Saw the Sea"

->''"Come you masters of war\\

I can see through your masks"''
-->--'''Music/BobDylan''', "Masters of War"

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]

[[AC:Theatre]]

-->--'''Doug Roberts''', ''Mr. Roberts'' (1955)

[[AC:Video Games]]

-->--''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''

[[AC:Web Original]]

->The Neocon’s idea of war is like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll the virgin’s idea of sex]]. Neocons are utterly, totally, and completely ignorant of war and the military. No Neocon has ever served in the military, and veterans are categorically excluded from being called a Neocon. Neocons used their wealth and privilege to avoid their generation’s war, yet feel they are qualified experts on the subject.
-->--'''''Website/UrbanDictionary'''''

[[AC:RealLife]]

->I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting—its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands and fathers ... 'tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated ... that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.
-->-- '''General William Tecumseh Sherman'''

-->--'''Maj. Don Clawson''', B-52 pilot during the Cuban Missile Crisis

->'Odd,' said a fellow veteran of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, 'that [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush Bush]] and Cheney are so delighted to put us to war when, during [[UsefulNotes/VietnamWar Vietnam]], they were what we both used to call draft dodgers.' But then we agreed that in our politics the sissies are always cheerleading the real guys to go give their lives. Real soldiers like Colin Powell are less gung ho.
-->--'''Creator/GoreVidal''', ''Dreaming War''

->It's not the generals, it's the civilians who authorize and organize the worst war crimes.
-->--'''Noam Chomsky'''

->The old man in the dress-coat, that is the famous General So-and-So. [...] He is the same who initiated the great offensive at V. back then. "The troops of the general", it said in the army bulletin, "were assigned to storm the heights of the village in the night to today." It is he who assigned them. His light blue, slightly watery eyes which I see before me give no hint that this man once stood next to a telephone, with maps, sketches, pencils and aide-de-camps before him, and shouted an order into the mouthpiece with an excited voice. "Will you see to it ...!" the voice said. Then he hung up. The following morning 8472 men fell on our side. They got their mass grave. The general got a decoration.