# When did the military start referring to opposing forces as "The bad guys" ?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-military-start-referring-to-opposing-forces-as-the-bad-guys/493752
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 20, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-military-start-referring-to-opposing-forces-as-the-bad-guys/493752 "2009-04-20T18:10:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-military-start-referring-to-opposing-forces-as-the-bad-guys/493752/21 "2009-04-22T14:19:27Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#):
>
> The term is also widely used in civilian self defense and civil defense discussions. Of course deciding whether or not to shoot back depends on who is attacking. But for technical discussions of tactics _ **once the firefight is on** _, it doesn’t necessarily matter whether the bad guy is a mugger or a terrorist or a disgruntled coworker.
This is what I figured. It’s just easier to use a generic term for “them people what we’re trying to beat,” be they enemy soldiers, terrorists, criminals, pirates, or whatever. Just say “bad guys” and be done with it.
RR
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-military-start-referring-to-opposing-forces-as-the-bad-guys/493752/22 "2009-04-22T15:22:42Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#):
>
> Let me kick this off with some history and a personal opinion.
>
> The expression was used as a 1965 film title, which in turn came from a quotation by John Paul Jones (the navy commander as opposed to the bass player) as follows:
Because I always like to credit the writer, I just need to nitpick this and say that the movie _In Harm’s Way_ was an adaptation of the 1962 novel _Harm’s Way_, by James Bassett.
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### Author:  [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-military-start-referring-to-opposing-forces-as-the-bad-guys/493752/23 "2009-04-22T16:19:12Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Because I always like to credit the writer, I just need to nitpick this and say that the movie _In Harm’s Way_ was an adaptation of the 1962 novel _Harm’s Way_, by James Bassett.
Quite right.
If any of your works ever reach Hollywood, and I find out about it, I’ll be sure to give you 100% credit. 😉
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