Favorite Historical Quotes

[Dave J]

All the witnesses present confirmed independently that his reply, in full, was "Nuts."

Reportedly, McAuliffe was raised in a household where swearing was harshly disciplined, so “Nuts”was his personal substitute for the usual expletives.. It was his G-3, Harry Kinnard, who suggested that become the official reply to the Germans.

FWIW, the Belgian Army still maintains the building where the 101st command post was located, and recreated the scene as best they could. It’s an excellent tour if you’re ever in the area.

[41magfan]

Just because some jackass asserts a thing does not mean that it is worthy of refutation. If the same guy tells you that every space shuttle launch perturbs the Earth's orbit, and that the cumulative effects are just about to start the process of the loss of the atmosphere into space, thus creating a vacuum that will destroy all life on the planet in approximately 36 hours, would you deem this necessary to refute? How much time would you spend explaining to him why this cannot happen? Would not your time be spent better doing other things? And if you devise a concise explanation, why would you assume he would understand?
-Mark Rippetoe

I would make that my signature line if it weren't so lengthy.

[Chance]

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning."

Catherine Aird

[Chance]

“We must remember that one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained in the severest school.”

– Thucydides, “History of the Peloponnesian War” (431-404 B.C.)

Stolen from another thread.

[AMC]

Since we're on Thucydides:

"To you who call yourselves 'Men of Peace', I say that you will not stand...unless you have Men of Action at your side."