nachtjaeger wrote:And my favorite- the actual last words of a British general in the Crimean war: "Stand up, you bloody cowards! They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist. . . ."
The same thing happened to another field officer in the American Civil War. I can not recall who it was. End was the same.
Lomax wrote:Actually, that was Major General John Sedgwick, commanding the Federal VI Corps in the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Spotsylvania - May 1864.
Bingo!
My story "First Taste of Fear" dealt with the idea, "All the answers to my problems are within me" or "I can deal with this. I can (or I have the power to) handle anything that happens to me".
"Glass House" dealt with a religious belief that I heard WAY to many times, "I am in good with (or have complete in) with God. God would not allow anything bad to happen to me."
War of the Worlds - the series (1980's) popular alien expression, "To life eternal." Quinn, supreme leader of 1950's invasion force, "To life eternal, sucker!"
From - Godzilla 1998 "I think we are going to need bigger guns" and Nick Tautopolis's(sp?) "That's big!" and "That's a FOOTPRINT!"
Late Japanese 1950's post Godzilla move, "Rhodan", by a Japanese defense pilot. "It's! It's! It's a --- aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA<crunch>".
Any variation of "Leave me alone!" It usually includes a strong admonishment to not ever aid if help is needed.
Original Star Trek, The Trouble with Tribbles, "How can something this cute cause so much trouble?"
Shaggy and Scooby Do, "We'll stay back in the van where it is safe".
Charlton Heston's epic move, The Ten Commandments. The Pharoe(sp?) ordered his troops forward after Moses nearly completes passing through the parted "Red" Sea. "They made it across. So can we."
German field General's quote to Adolph Hitler before leading German tanks into the Battle of the Bulge, "We can do it!"
Common concept in historical warfare, "Win or die!"