Articles with history

A Dramatic Example of Deciding to Act

Prisoner 5239 was captured by the Nazis at just 19 years of age. Withered after five years of death camp incarceration, while on a forced death march in 1945, suddenly, without warning, the moment of decision came. It was a five second junction, a crossroads between life and death. As they rounded a bend, he glanced back, and realized the rear guard was out of sight – and, hurriedly looking ahead, it was the same. For ten paces or so, they could not be seen. He had a choice, and he decided. Turning to a friend, he hissed: “Quick! Run! Now.”

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Don’t Wait: Do

WWII US General George Patton gave a series of speeches to troops of the United States Third Army in 1944, prior to the Allied invasion of France. According to the article in Wikipedia, the speeches were intended to motivate the inexperienced Third Army for its pending combat duty. In the speeches, Patton urged his soldiers to do their duty regardless of personal fear, and he exhorted them to aggressiveness and constant offensive action. Here’s an excerpt:

“My men don’t dig foxholes. Foxholes only slow up an offensive. Keep moving. We’ll win this war, but we’ll win it only by fighting and showing the Germans that we’ve got more guts than they have or ever will have…. I don’t want any messages saying ‘I’m holding my position.’ We’re not holding a[ny]thing. We’re advancing constantly and we’re not interested in holding anything…. Our plan of operation is to advance and keep on advancing….”

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