History Quotes / RousingSpeech

->''"Citizens of Berlin! A ring of steel surrounds your rotten city! We will crush all who still dare to resist the will of the Red Army! Abandon your posts! Abandon your homes! Abandon all hope! Ura!"
-->-- '''Commissar Markhov'', ''CallOfDuty: World At War''

-->''[[MuppetsFromSpace Shame on you]]. [[AnimalHouse This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you're going to let it be the worst.]] [[{{Rudy}} Andd I guarantee a week won't go by in your life you won't regret walking out, letting them get the best of you.]] [[Film/StreetFighter Well, I'm not going home.]] [[OldSchool We've come too far!]] [[MrSmithGoesToWashington And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause.]] [[Film/LordOfTheRings A day may come when the courage of men fails... but it is not this day.]] [[StarTrekFirstContact The line must be drawn here. This far, no further!]] [[BringItOn I'm not saying it's going to be easy]]; [[StandAndDeliver You're going to work harder than you ever worked before.]] [[{{Newsies}} But that's fine, we'll just get tougher with it!]] [[{{Peanuts}} If a person grits his teeth and shows real determination]], [[ApolloThirteen failure is not an option.]] [[{{Rocky}} That's how winning is done!]] [[TheMatrixReloaded Believe me when I say,]] [[KingdomOfHeaven We can break this army here]] [[KnuteRockeAllAmerican And win just one for the Gipper]]. [[{{Alexander}} But I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time]]: [[{{Network}} You've got to get mad.]] [[TheOutlawJoseyWales I mean plum mad dog mean.]] [[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves If you would be free men, then you must]] [[TheGreatDictator fight to fulfill that promise! Let us]] [[{{Patton}} cut out their living guts]] [[AnyGivenSunday One inch at a time]], [[PiratesOfTheCaribbean And they will know what we can do!]] [[{{Troy}} Let no man forget how menacing we are. We are lions!]] [[{{Swingers}} You're like a big bear, man!]] [[{{Miracle}} This is your time!]] [[DeadPoetsSociety Seize the day]], [[GalaxyQuest Never surrender, victory or death,]] [[TheUntouchables that's the Chicago Way!]] [[ArmyOfDarkness Who's with me?]] [[PeterPan Clap! Clap! Don't let Tink die! Clap!]] [[{{Hoosiers}} Alright!]] [[TheMightyDucks Let's fly!]] [[HenryIV And gentlemen in England now abed]] [[PulpFiction shall know my name is the Lord when I]] [[{{Braveheart}} tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take]] [[IndependenceDay our Independence Day]]!

-->--'''Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander''', ''DawnOfWar: Dark Crusade'', when the Imperial Guard stronghold is attacked

--> I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

--> I have a dream today!

--> And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

* Queen Elizabeth I (1588, defeat of the Spanish armada): "My loving people, we have been persuaded by some, that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear; I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects. And therefore I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms: to which, rather than any dishonor should grow by me, I myself will take up arms; I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, by your forwardness, that you have deserved rewards and crowns; and we do assure you, on the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble and worthy subject; not doubting by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and by your valor in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over the enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people."

-->We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, 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, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

Boudicca's final speech to her army (60) has been verbally passed down as such: "But now, it is not as a woman descended from noble ancestry, but as one of the people that I am avenging lost freedom, my scourged , and marked body, the outraged chastity of my daughters. Roman lust has gone so far that not our very person, nor even age or virginity, are left unpolluted. But heaven is on the side of a righteous vengeance; a legion which dared to fight has perished; the rest are hiding themselves in their camp, or are thinking anxiously of flight. They will not sustain even the din and the shout of so many thousands, much less our charge and our blows. If you weigh well the strength of the armies, and the causes of the war, you will see that in this battle you must conquer or die. This is a woman's resolve; as for men, they may live and be slaves, and captive." Her army lost, however.

-->''[[MuppetsFromSpace Shame on you]]. [[AnimalHouse This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you're going to let it be the worst.]] [[{{Rudy}} Andd I guarantee a week won't go by in your life you won't regret walking out, letting them get the best of you.]] [[Film/StreetFighter Well, I'm not going home.]] [[OldSchool We've come too far!]] [[MrSmithGoesToWashington And I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause.]] [[Film/LordOfTheRings A day may come when the courage of men fails... but it is not this day.]] [[StarTrekFirstContact The line must be drawn here. This far, no further!]] [[BringItOn I'm not saying it's going to be easy]]; [[StandAndDeliver You're going to work harder than you ever worked before.]] [[{{Newsies}} But that's fine, we'll just get tougher with it!]] [[CharlieBrown If a person grits his teeth and shows real determination]], [[ApolloThirteen failure is not an option.]] [[{{Rocky}} That's how winning is done!]] [[TheMatrixReloaded Believe me when I say,]] [[KingdomOfHeaven We can break this army here]] [[KnuteRockeAllAmerican And win just one for the Gipper]]. [[{{Alexander}} But I say to you what every warrior has known since the beginning of time]]: [[{{Network}} You've got to get mad.]] [[TheOutlawJoseyWales I mean plum mad dog mean.]] [[RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves If you would be free men, then you must]] [[TheGreatDictator fight to fulfill that promise! Let us]] [[{{Patton}} cut out their living guts]] [[AnyGivenSunday One inch at a time]], [[PiratesOfTheCarribean And they will know what we can do!]] [[{{Troy}} Let no man forget how menacing we are. We are lions!]] [[{{Swingers}} You're like a big bear, man!]] [[{{Miracle}} This is your time!]] [[DeadPoetsSociety Seize the day]], [[GalaxyQuest Never surrender, victory or death,]] [[TheUntouchables that's the Chicago Way!]] [[ArmyOfDarkness Who's with me?]] [[PeterPan Clap! Clap! Don't let Tink die! Clap!]] [[{{Hoosiers}} Alright!]] [[TheMightyDucks Let's fly!]] [[HenryIV And gentlemen in England now abed]] [[PulpFiction shall know my name is the Lord when I]] [[{{Braveheart}} tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take]] [[IndependenceDay our Independence Day]]!

* Empress Theodora during the Nika Revolt (532): "My lords, the present occasion is too serious to allow me to follow the convention that a woman should not speak in a man's council. Those whose interests are threatened by extreme danger should think only of the wisest course of action, not of conventions. In my opinion, flight is not the right course, even if it should bring us to safety. It is impossible for a person, having been born into this world, not to die; but for one who has reigned it is intolerable to be a fugitive. May I never be deprived of this purple robe, and may I never see the day when those who meet me do not call me empress. If you wish to save yourself, my lord, there is no difficulty. We are rich; over there is the sea, and yonder are the ships. Yet reflect for a moment whether, when you have once escaped to a place of security, you would not gladly exchange such safety for death. As for me, I agree with the adage that the royal purple is the noblest shroud."

-->--'''The Major''', '''Hellsing'''

* Say what you will about /b/, but when they get stirred to righteousness it's a sight to behold, as in this message about rescuing a young Anoynmous from his insane feminist mother:

"My friends, it has often been said that I like war. Friends, I like war. No, friends, I love war!
I love holocausts. I love blitzkriegs. I love defensive lines. I love sieges, charges, I love mop-up operations, and retreats.
Wars across prairies, in streets, in trenches, in grasslands, in frozen tundras, through deserts, on the sea, in the air, I love every act of war that can occur upon this earth.
I love blasting the enemy to smithereens with artillery salvos that thunder across the lines of battle.
My heart leaps with joy whenever a soldier is tossed high into the air and cut to pieces by well placed sniper rounds.
And there is nothing like a tank operator using a Tiger 88 to destroy enemy tanks. And the feeling that comes when a soldier runs screaming from his blazing tank only to be mowed down by heavy machine gun fire, is such an exquisite feeling.
Like when ranks of infantry brandish their bayonets rushing into the enemy line. It moves me deep within my heart to watch a fresh recruit stabbing over and over into the bloated chest of a long-dead enemy.
The sight of deserters being strung up from a street lamp is an irresistible pleasure. And there is nothing more arousing, than the sounds made by prisoners of war dropping like flies, screaming in agony as they're mowed down by ear piercing schmeissers!
When a band of pitiful resistance fighters makes their final stands with nothing but small arms, only to have their city smashed to atoms block by block by 4.8 ton bombshells, I'm in ecstasy.
I love it when my forces are ravaged by a Russian armored division. It's so sad to see towns and villages that were supposed to be defended at all costs, being laid to waste, their women and children being raped, and killed.
I love to be squashed under the heel of the British and American war machines. The humiliation, as my men crawl around like vermin, ducking the Jabo flying overhead.
Gentlemen... All I ask for is war, a war so grand as to make Hell itself tremble. Gentlemen, I ask you as fellow brothers in arms, what is it you really want? Do you wish for further war as I do? Do you wish for a merciless, bloody war? A war whose fury is built with iron, and lightning, and fire? Do you ask for war to sweep in like a tempest, leaving not even ravens to scavenge, from this Earth!?"
Very well. Then krieg is what you shall have. We are a clenched fist, ready to strike down all who oppose us, with our might. But.. After enduring over half a century wallowing in the darkness, for us, a simple *ordinary* war will no longer be sufficient. We need a MASSIVE war! A war beyond any other that man's history has never known!
We are but a single battalion.. The remnants of of defeated army numbering less than a thousand strong. However, I believe that each of you old warriors is worth a thousand of their sickly soft children! We represent a force that could easily defeat an army of a million and one men! It is time for them to awake the ones who sent us screaming into oblivion, and who now lie sleeping. Let's drag them out of bed by the hair, and remind them of what we are! We will remind them of what it feels like to live in fear. We will remind them of the sound our jackboots make against their throats. We will remind them, that there are more things between Heaven and Hell than are dreamt of in their philosophy.
Our Kampfgruppe of one thousand vampires will burn this world down to ash. Yes, my friends! Soon, Europe's charred remains will illuminate the night sky! I have brought you all back just as I promised I would. Back to our favorite battlefield. Back to our beloved war!
At last, the sea lion has crossed the ocean and is heading up the hill! Attention soldiers of the Millennium battalion, this is a message from your commander:

-->>--'''The Major''', '''Hellsing'''

-->"My friends, it has often been said that I like war. Friends, I like war. No, friends, I love war!

--> "My friends, it has often been said that I like war. Friends, I like war. No, friends, I love war!

-> "My friends, it has often been said that I like war. Friends, I like war. No, friends, I love war!

->"My friends, it has often been said that I like war. Friends, I like war. No, friends, I love war!

Say what you will about /b/, but when they get stirred to righteousness it's a sight to behold, as in this message about rescuing a young Anoynmous from his insane feminist mother:

-->"Any of you ever watch the Rambo movies? Because that's what this is. Sure, we're going in guns blazing, fucking up anyone who gets in our way, but by God this is a rescue mission. We've got a /b/rother behind enemy lines who needs our help! This woman is batshit insane and we can't let her continue fucking with him like this. She wanted to ABORT HER TEENAGE SON because he was viewing pornography. She tells him he's a rapist because he likes girls. She tells him that "his kind" are responsible for everything wrong in the world. She tells him that he is worthless and inferior. This is unacceptable to me as an Anonymous, it is unacceptable to me as a man, and it is unacceptable to me as a decent human being. Do what you have to do - tell the son, tell the ex, tell social services, '''but we are going to get our man out alive.'''"

* This trope was essentially Cicero's job. All it took was a series of rousing speeches from this man to have the conspirator Catiline executed without a trial.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v71W_FFW_J0 The Patton Speech]]: "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."

* Paratrooper Joseph Beyrle, the only soldier known to have served with both US and Soviet armies, relates how the female commander of his Soviet tank battalion would always use the same stirring phrase, followed by her troops enthusiastic "UH-RAAAAAH!" When Beyrle asked for a translation it turned out to be: "Follow my ass as if you can have it!"

** The 1993 [=ESPYs=] were held on March 3. Valvano died April 28, 1993, at the age of 47.
* There was a bit of {{Defictionalization}} with the example from ''Knute Rockne: All-American'' listed under Film. The actor giving the speech was Ronald Reagan, and he was so effective at giving the speech in the first take, the other actors became so fired up that they just charged towards the door. The problem was, it was just a set, and the group of actors playing the team tore down the whole set in their charge. It had to be rebuilt for an additional take.

* Shakespeare's ''HenryV'' gave two memorable {{Rousing Speech}}es:

-> You all know the mission, and what is at stake. I have come to trust each of you with my life -- but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns. We are trained for espionage; we would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way. Think of our heroes; the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers! Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that we held the line! Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line! Our influence will stop Saren; in the battle today, we will hold the line!

-> [[ContemplateOurNavels Let me ask you two a question: You ever wonder why we're here?]] ... No, I mean you! What are YOU doing here? [[BrilliantButLazy You always act like you want to quit, but hell, you could've left whenever you wanted!]] No one would have stopped you, so why are you here? [[ProfessionalButtKisser And you, Simmons! You say you want to be in charge.]] [[TVGenius They would've given you your own squad a dozen times over!]] You know it, and I know it, but you're still here. [[TookALevelInBadass And you, Tucker: Much as I hate to admit it, you're actually good at being a soldier.]] ...[[Double Entendre I know you like to make your rude comments,]] [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass and pretend like it all doesn't matter,]] [[TheChosenOne but an entire alien race chose you to be their hero!]] So why are you here? [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Caboose, um... It's good to see you.]] ...[[RagtagBunchOfMisfits Maybe you're all here because this is the only place you fit in. Maybe you're here because you don't have anywhere else to go.]] [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Or maybe you're all here because, deep down, you want to be here.]] The reason doesn't matter. What matters is that you're here! For all we know, Tex and Church are dead. That means we're the only ones that know what's happened, the only ones that can prevent them from covering it up. So the way I figure it, if these Freelancer guys will use us, take us away from our families, and send us all over the dad-gum galaxy just to test if their agents are ready for the big fight, well, I guess I'm interested in showing them exactly what a big fight is all about! It's time to clean the slate! [[AFatherToHisMen So I'm not ordering you to go. I ain't even asking. You do what you gotta do, Private Grif.]]