We few, We happy few, We band of brothers Today - October 25 - is the Feast of Saint Crispin's Day - Anniversary of the great Battle at Agincourt and , of course, of Henry V's great speech. Raise a glass and enjoy -- Youtube has a great video from Kenneth Branagh's movie Henry V.
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is call'd the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.' Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
It is just as good the hundredth time I've read it! Thanks DVR
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
We used to have to memorize this speech and others for our English classes in high school. I understand that they don't do that anymore -- too bad -- I think kids are really missing out today.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Interestingly enough, the reason for the English victory over such great odds, was the English bowmen and the invention of the horse collar.
Farm fields were plowed by using oxen, which worked well but was slow. If you tried to plow with horses, the oxbow that attached to the plow, would hit the horse across the throat and cut off his air. The invention of the horse collar put the weight of the plow across the horses shoulders allowing the English peasants to plow with horses at a much faster rate... giving the average English farm worker something he never had before... Free Time!
The king ordered that all English men had to use this new found free time to become proficient in the use of the long bow. Towns would organize long bow competitions, then competitions against neighboring towns, which added to the interest and skill of the English bowmen. Those same English bowmen turned the tide of the outnumbered English to victory. (Had the English lost the battle, these posts would probably be written in French, not English!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Yes .. the longbow served to even the odds .. despite the fact that the English were greatly outnumbered.
I am so glad that the English won .. after my ancestors crossed over from Normandy with William the Conqueror .. it would have been a great setback to become French again.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Without American's fighting the war FOR the French, the French would all be speaking German. There’s a big difference between French training and supplying the colonist, and Americans spilling their blood to liberate France in WWII. The Colonists were willing to fight; the French were conquered by Germany in 6 days. And the French had a formidable standing army, but no will to fight.
With out French help, especially their navy, the USA quite likely would have lost the American Revolution. That issue is pretty much accepted by historians.
WW1, The French lost 1,400,000 military and 300,000 civilians killed in World War One. Their military never recovered both in military leadership or in equipment by the time WW2 started. (By comparison US Losses in WW1 were 116,000).
WW2, The French lost to an overwhelming German force due to outdated tactics and poor leadership. (See"The Maginot Line"). French deaths in WW2 were 245,000military and 350,000 civilian... many of those civilians killed were fighting the Germans in the French Resistance after the French military was defeated.
I have no particular allegiance to the French, but without their help the USA most likely would have lost the American Revolution.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
WW2, The French lost to an overwhelming German force due to outdated tactics and poor leadership. (See"The Maginot Line"). French deaths in WW2 were 245,000military and 350,000 civilian... many of those civilians killed were fighting the Germans in the French Resistance after the French military was defeated.
The French got slaughtered because of their National Teachers Union was full of social internationalist, feminists and pacifists post WWI - beginning in the 1920's up to WWII. The French population was castrated through decades of anti-nationalist pacifist education. The men had no will to fight - emasculated.
The French are still messed up. They fight with their feet and screw with their mouth.
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