# Commands given in war that still inspire **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 29, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301 "2022-12-29T21:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/61 "2023-01-05T06:20:00Z")
Do you think Alan Alda could still serve a 4-year term? On the one hand, he’s even older than Biden. On the other, with inspiring lines like this, we can’t afford _not_ to elect him: > It’s time to turn off that war machine, and turn on our children. > -Allen Alda ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/62 "2023-01-05T17:03:28Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > In 1912, the German Kaiser visited Switzerland and asked a Swiss minister what the 250,000 strong Swiss army would do if Germany attacked with 500,000 troops. Reply: “Shoot twice and go home.” I like it! I sure hope he really said that. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/63 "2023-01-06T00:40:33Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > I feel like you have confused each other. Perry quoted Lawrence with the somewhat misleading and not altogether inspiring “Don’t give up the ship.” But after the battle, in reporting on the victory, Perry wrote “We have met the enemy and they are ours.” I always try to start off a new year by confusing quotations and speakers. I am hoping that making one big mistake at the beginning will help me avoid all the rest for the year (sort of like various carpet weavers who demonstrate humility by including one deliberate error in their carpets). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/64 "2023-01-07T19:03:58Z")
Does one speak in the familiar with the enemy? ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/65 "2023-01-07T19:47:08Z")
Given that, in languages with both familiar and formal second person forms, the familiar can be meant and used as an insult/putdown - yes, you might. But it depends on circumstances. If you’re doing the ‘honourable opponents/fellow soldiers’ thing, you probably would use the formal. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/66 "2023-01-07T19:50:07Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > “Occasionally, one must conjure up enough courage, close one’s eyes and jump off the platform of the Kiyomizu.” > > -Hideki Tojo on the eve on the war. Is there a legend that a sufficiently brave man, jumping from said platform, will fly, or something of that sort? Or is it just considered an honorable way to commit suicide? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/67 "2023-01-07T23:09:57Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Kiyomizu [From Wiki.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera#Present) \*The popular expression “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu” is the Japanese translation of the [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language) expression “to take the plunge”.[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera#cite_note-SacredDestinations-6) This refers to an [Edo-period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo-period) tradition that held that if one were to survive a 13-meter (43-foot) jump from the stage, one’s wish would be granted. During the Edo period, 234 jumps were recorded, and of those, 85.4% survived.[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera#cite_note-*SacredDestinations-6) The practice was prohibited in 1872.[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiyomizu-dera#cite_note-SacredDestinations-6) ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/68 "2023-01-07T23:32:34Z")
Many of these things belong in the category of ‘what-I-would-have-said-if-I-had-thought-of-it-at-the-time-instead-of-two-hours-after’. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/69 "2023-01-07T23:38:55Z")
“Turn back, turn back, O Time, in your flight I just thought of a comeback I needed last night” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/70 "2023-01-08T02:00:50Z")
> [@Capn\_Carl](#): > > “You cannot pass.” —Gandalf Nitpick: “shall not” ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/71 "2023-01-08T04:02:01Z")
The belief was that the petitioner would pray to Kannon, (the Japanese version or name of [Guanyin](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Guanyin), The [bodhisattva](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bodhisattva) of [compassion](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/compassion), venerated by Buddhists in East and Southeast Asia and then jump. If the goddess likes you and you survive, you get your wish. If not, well too bad, and it sucks to be you as one of the frequent posters here often says. The usuage in the case is similar to “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/72 "2023-01-08T16:19:12Z")
You cannot favor dialog of the movies over that of the books. This cannot pass. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301/73 "2023-01-08T19:11:43Z")
To quote the irascible General Beringer of NORAD when the situation was dire, “I’d piss on a spark plug if I thought it’d do any good!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commands-given-in-war-that-still-inspire/977301.md?page=3)