Battle cry
Encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Battle cry (disambiguation)Battle Cry (disambiguation)A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle.Battle Cry may also refer to:*Robotech: Battlecry, a 2002 video game*Battle Cry, a Robotech novel*Battle Cry, a Robotech episode*Battlecry , American white nationalist Heavy metal band....
A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
, usually by members of the same military unit.
Battle cries are not necessarily articulate, although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment.
Their purpose is a combination of arousing aggression
Aggression
In psychology, as well as other social and behavioral sciences, aggression refers to behavior between members of the same species that is intended to cause humiliation, pain, or harm. Ferguson and Beaver defined aggressive behavior as "Behavior which is intended to increase the social dominance of...
and esprit de corps on one's own side and causing intimidation
Intimidation
Intimidation is intentional behavior "which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of injury or harm. It's not necessary to prove that the behavior was so violent as to cause terror or that the victim was actually frightened.Criminal threatening is the crime of intentionally or...
on the hostile side.
Battle cries are a universal form of display behaviour (i.e., threat display
Threat display
Threat display is a type of display behaviour aiming at intimidation of a potential enemy. It may be directed at a rival of the same species , or at a potential threat from a different species....
) aiming at competitive advantage, ideally by overstating one's own aggressive potential to a point where the enemy prefers to avoid confrontation altogether and opts to flee. In order to overstate one's potential for aggression, battle cries need to be as loud as possible, and have historically often been amplified by acoustic devices such as horns
Blowing horn
The blowing horn or winding horn is a sound device by and large shaped like a horn or actually a cattle or other animal horn arranged to blow from a hole in the pointed end of it...
, drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, conch
Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....
es, carnyx
Carnyx
The carnyx was a wind instrument of the Iron Age Celts, used between c. 300 BC to 200 AD. It was a type of bronze trumpet, held vertically, the mouth styled in the shape of a boar's, or other animal's, head. It was used in warfare, probably to incite troops to battle and intimidate opponents...
es, bagpipes, bugle
Bugle (instrument)
The bugle is one of the simplest brass instruments, having no valves or other pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure, since the bugle has no other mechanism for controlling pitch. Consequently, the bugle is limited to notes within the harmonic series...
s, etc. (see also martial music
Martial music
Martial industrial, also known as martial music, is a music genre originating in late 20th century Europe. It often borrows musically from classical music, neofolk, neoclassical, traditional European marches and from elements of industrial and dark ambient.-Origins:The genre name military pop was...
).
Battle cries are closely related to other behavioral patterns of human aggression, such as war dance
War dance
A war dance is a dance involving mock combat, usually in reference to tribal warrior societies where such dances were performed as a ritual connected with endemic warfare....
s and taunting, performed during the "warming up" phase preceding the escalation of physical violence.
From the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, many cries appeared on standards and were adopted as motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
es, an example being the motto "Dieu et mon droit
Dieu et mon droit
Dieu et mon droit is the motto of the British Monarch in England. It appears on a scroll beneath the shield of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom...
" ("God and my right") of the English kings. It is said that this was Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
's rallying cry during the Battle of Crécy
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
.
The word "slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
" originally derives from sluagh-gairm or sluagh-ghairm (sluagh = "people", "army", and gairm = "call", "proclamation"), the Scottish Gaelic word for "gathering-cry" and in times of war for "battle-cry". The Gaelic word was borrowed into English as slughorn, sluggorne, "slogum", and slogan.
Evolutionary function
According to Joseph JordaniaJoseph Jordania
Joseph Jordania is an Australian-Georgian ethnomusicologist and evolutionary musicologist. In some early publications his name was spelled as Zhordania...
rhythmically organized loud group singing/shouting in dissonant harmonies, together with threatening body movements, drumming on external objects, body painting
Body painting
Body painting, or sometimes bodypainting, is a form of body art. Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, painted onto the human skin, and lasts for only several hours, or at most a couple of weeks. Body painting that is limited to the face is known as face painting...
and object throwing were developed by the forces of natural selection
Natural selection
Natural selection is the nonrandom process by which biologic traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of differential reproduction of their bearers. It is a key mechanism of evolution....
in the early stages of hominid evolution, in order to defend hominids againg the big African predators (big cats, sabretooth tigers) after they descended from the relatively safe tree branches to the predator-infested ground. Jordania suggested the ancient battle cry was used to put hominids and early humans in a specidic altered state of consciousness
Altered state of consciousness
An altered state of consciousness , also named altered state of mind, is any condition which is significantly different from a normal waking beta wave state. The expression was used as early as 1966 by Arnold M. Ludwig and brought into common usage from 1969 by Charles Tart: it describes induced...
, the battle trance
Battle trance
Battle trance is a term denoting a specific altered state of consciousness that characterizes the psychological state of combatants during a combat situation. In this state, combatants do not feel fear or pain , and all the individual members of group are acting as one collective organism...
, where group members were losing their individuality and were obtaining collective identity
Collective identity
The term collective identity may refer to a variety of concepts. In general however, these concepts generally pertain to phenomena where an individuals' perceived membership in a social group impacts upon their own identity in some way. The idea of a collective identity has received attention in a...
. In this state hominids and early humans were losing the feel of fear and pain, and were acting in the best interests of the group, with total disregard of their individual safety and life.
Antiquity
- The BiblicalBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
account of the Battle of JerichoBattle of JerichoThe Battle of Jericho is an incident in Bible's Book of Joshua, the first battle of the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan. According to the narrative, the walls of Jericho fell after Joshua's Israelite army marched around the city blowing their trumpets.- Spying on Jericho:Before crossing...
has the battle-cry of the Israelites, amplified by horn-calls, collapse the fortifications of the city under siege. - The war cry "Hey-Ah!" (meaning Hurrah, literally 'The brother' or 'The oven' - who's fire was built up with those blowing sounds) is mentioned in several places in the bible.
- The war cry is an aspect of epic battle in HomerHomerIn the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
: in the IliadIliadThe Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
, DiomedesDiomedesDiomedes or Diomed is a hero in Greek mythology, known for his participation in the Trojan War.He was born to Tydeus and Deipyle and later became King of Argos, succeeding his maternal grandfather, Adrastus. In Homer's Iliad Diomedes is regarded alongside Ajax as one of the best warriors of all...
is conventionally called "Diomedes of the loud war cry." Hellenes and Akkadians alike uttered the onomatopoeic cry "alalaAlalaAlala, , was the female personification of the war cry in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Polemos, the daemon of war. Her name means loud cry, esp. war-cry, from the onomatopoeic Greek word ἀλαλή [alalē], hence the verb ἀλαλάζω "raise the war-cry". She was an attendant of the war god...
" in battle, a cry not far from "AlleluiaAlleluiaThe word "Alleluia" or "Hallelujah" , which at its most literal means "Praise Yah", is used in different ways in Christian liturgies....
" (Burkert 1992:39-40). - The troops of ancient AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, during the Medic WarsGreco-Persian WarsThe Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and city-states of the Hellenic world that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the Greeks and the enormous empire of the Persians began when Cyrus...
and the Peloponnesian WarPeloponnesian WarThe Peloponnesian War, 431 to 404 BC, was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. Historians have traditionally divided the war into three phases...
were noted for going into battle shouting "AlalaAlalaAlala, , was the female personification of the war cry in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of Polemos, the daemon of war. Her name means loud cry, esp. war-cry, from the onomatopoeic Greek word ἀλαλή [alalē], hence the verb ἀλαλάζω "raise the war-cry". She was an attendant of the war god...
", which was supposed to emulate the cry of the owl, the bird of their patron goddess AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
. - The troops of the early Roman RepublicRoman RepublicThe Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
would chant as they marched to intimidate an enemy, while the troops of the late Roman republic and the Roman empire would stay silent, waiting for the final charge to yell their battle-cry. According to late accounts on the origin of the chant "hip hip hooray", after the destruction of Jerusalem, some of the Roman garrisons would march to the war chant: "Heb Hep Hierusalem"Hep-Hep riotsThe Hep-Hep riots were early 19th century pogroms against German Jews. The antisemitic communal violence began on August 2, 1819 in Würzburg and soon reached as far as regions of Denmark, Poland, Latvia and Bohemia. Many Jews were killed and much Jewish property was destroyed.-Historical...
Although most historians doubt this. Some accounts claim that the crusadersCrusadersThe Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
used this chant. German soldiers during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
marched to this chant, confirming its conceived etiology.
- PlutarchPlutarchPlutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
reports that the AmbronesAmbronesThe Ambrones were a tribe that appeared briefly in the Roman sources relating to the 2nd century BC. They formed part of a coalition of peoples with the Cimbri of Jutland and the Teutones who were forced south by the flooding of their homeland.-History:...
at the Battle of Aquae SextiaeBattle of Aquae SextiaeThe Battle of Aquae Sextiae took place in 102 BC. After a string of Roman defeats , the Romans under Gaius Marius finally defeated the Teutones and Ambrones.-The battle:...
were shouting their own tribal name, Ambrones!
- The late Roman and Byzantine empires used "Nobiscum Deus" (Latin, "God with us"), as their battle cry.
Middle Ages
- "Allahu Akbar" (the TakbirTakbirThe Takbīr or Tekbir is the Arabic term for the phrase ' . It is usually translated "God is [the] Greatest," or "God is Great". It is a common Islamic Arabic expression...
) meaning "God is great" in Arabic — was common in MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
armies or commonly used by Muslim warriors such as CheemaCheemaCheema is a Jatt of Jat ethnicity found inPunjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and also in Pakistan.Cheemas are one of the two major sub clans of Jats along with other Jat clans like Sandhu, Grewal, Pannu, Uppal etc.. .Historically, this tribe has held considerable tracts in the upper Rechna Doab since...
s in battle, and is still heard today by soldiers throughout the Muslim worldMuslim worldThe term Muslim world has several meanings. In a religious sense, it refers to those who adhere to the teachings of Islam, referred to as Muslims. In a cultural sense, it refers to Islamic civilization, inclusive of non-Muslims living in that civilization...
, especially by insurgents, as well as "Yaa Dhiskiaon", an onomatopoeic sound referring to gunpowder. - Parvati Pateyah Har Har Mahadev in SanskritSanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
meaning "Victory to the Supreme God (ShivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
), The Lord of ParvatiParvatiParvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
". This was a common battle cry for medieval IndianDemographics of IndiaThe demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
s fighting against foreign invaders. Also used by the HinduHinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
MarathaMarathaThe Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s during their wars against the Muslim Moghuls. - The Hungarian conquerors used to shout the "Huj, Huj, Hajrá!!" battle cry (meaning "Faster! Faster!") during their attack.
- At the Battle of HastingsBattle of HastingsThe Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
, WaceWaceWace was a Norman poet, who was born in Jersey and brought up in mainland Normandy , ending his career as Canon of Bayeux.-Life:...
records that the housecarls of the Saxon army cried "Olicrosse!" and "Godamite!" ("Holy Cross" and "God Almighty", respectively), while the fyrd cried "Ut! Ut! Ut!" ("Out! Out! Out!"). - The Normans' cry at the Battle of HastingsBattle of HastingsThe Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
was "Dex Aie!" (Old NormanOld NormanOld Norman, also called Old Northern French or Old Norman French, was one of many langues d'oïl dialects. It was spoken throughout the region of what is now called Normandy and spread into England, Southern Italy, Sicily, and the Levant. It is the ancestor of modern Norman, including the insular...
, "God aid us!"). This was last used by the Royal Guernsey Light InfantryRoyal Guernsey Light InfantryRoyal Guernsey Light Infantry was a regiment in the British Army that was formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in 1916 to serve in World War I. They fought as part of the British 29th Division...
during World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. - The CrusadersCrusadesThe Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
used the cry "Caelum denique!" (Latin, "Heaven at last!"). The Crusaders, especially the religious orders, also used "Deus vultDeus vultDeus vult was the cry of the people at the declaration of the First Crusade by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont in 1095...
" (Latin, "God wills it"). - In SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, during the ReconquistaReconquistaThe Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
(718-1492 AD) and the conquest of America, they cried "Santiago y cierra, España" ("Saint James and attack, Spain") or simply "Santiago", seeking protection from St. James, the patron saint of Spain. - The French knights of the Middle Ages used to cry "Montjoie, St DenisDenisSaint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
!", calling upon the patron saintPatron saintA patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of France. - Portuguese troops, after the 14th century, used to cry "Portugal e São Jorge! (PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Saint GeorgeSaint GeorgeSaint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
), calling for the patron saint of Portugal. Before that the Portuguese used the common IberianIberian PeninsulaThe Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
cry "Santiago!". - The Anglo-Gascon knights of the Middle Ages used to cry "Guyenne! Saint George!" during their fights against the French.
- "Hrr na ně!" (CzechCzech languageCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
, "At them!") was used by HussiteHussiteThe Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
warriors during the Hussite WarsHussite WarsThe Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. Modern Czech infantry often uses "Hurá!" while charging (similar to the Russian Army cry mentioned below). - The AlmogavarsAlmogavarsThe almogavars were a class of soldiers from the Crown of Aragon, well-known during the Christian Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula. They were much employed as mercenaries in Italy, Latin Greece and the Levant during the 13th and 14th centuries.-History:The Almogavars came mainly from the...
used to cry "Desperta ferro!", which translates as "Awake the iron!". They used to cry this shout the dawn before a battle, while they beat their swords on the nearby rocks to keep them clean from the rust. In the dim light many sparks were lighted, which scared the enemy watching them, as explained by Ramon MuntanerRamon MuntanerRamon Muntaner was a Catalan soldier and writer who wrote the Crònica, a chronicle of his life, including his adventures as a commander in the Catalan Company...
. Is now used by Spanish paratroopers. - The CatalanCataloniaCatalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
(AragoneseAragonese peopleThe Aragonese are an ethnic group or nation living in the historical region of Aragon, between the centre and the north-east of Spain. Their native Aragonese language, which might have been spoken in the whole of the Kingdom of Aragon in the Middle Ages, is nowadays a seriously endangered language,...
) knights and men at arms shouted "Aragó!" and "Sant Jordi!", ("Aragon! Saint George!), for Saint George is the patron saint of Aragon and Catalonia. It was also used by the Almughavars as well, as kept by Ramon Muntaner, Bernat Desclot and other Catalan Medieval historians.
Modern
Early modern to modern (1500 to 1914) war cries- During the Cuban RevolutionCuban RevolutionThe Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
the communist revolutonaries warcry was "Libertad o muerte" (Freedom or death) - The various Gaelic-speaking peoplesGaelsThe Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
have a long tradition of employing battle cries. One used by the Irish peopleIrish peopleThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
is Fág an bealach!Faugh A BallaghFaugh a Ballagh is a battle cry of Irish origin, meaning "clear the way". The spelling is an 18th-century anglicization of the Irish language phrase Fág an Bealach, also written Fág a' Bealach. Its first recorded use as a regimental motto was by the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1798...
(sometimes rendered "Faugh a ballaugh!"), Irish for "Clear the way!" The O'NeillO'Neill dynastyThe O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
family motto is the Irish "An lámh dhearg abú", in English "The Red Hand" — the heraldic symbol of O'NeillO'Neill dynastyThe O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
and UlsterUlsterUlster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
— followed by Abú, which is a war cry possibly related to buaidh 'victory'. "Tiocfaidh ár láTiocfaidh ár láTiocfaidh ár lá is an Irish language phrase which translates as "our day will come", the hoped-for day being that of a united Ireland. It became a popular slogan with militant Irish republicans in the 1980s.-Origins:...
" is another cry used, primarily by the Irish Republican ArmyIrish Republican ArmyThe Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
, which translates into "Our day will come" in reference to that organisation's desire for Northern Ireland to secede from the United Kingdom and join with the Republic of Ireland. It has become the unofficial slogan of the Irish Republican movement and is sometimes shouted as "Beidh ár lá linn", or "We shall have our day!" - Some Scottish clans have war cries in addition to their mottoMottoA motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
, sloganSlogan (heraldry)A slogan is used in Scottish heraldry as a heraldic motto or a secondary motto. It usually appears above the crest on a coat of arms, though sometimes it appears as a secondary motto beneath the shield...
, or rallying cry:-- Clan CameronClan CameronClan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands is the mountain Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The chief of the clan is customarily referred to as...
: "Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil" ("Sons of the hounds, come here and get flesh") - Clan OgilvyClan Ogilvy-Origins of the clan:The Ogilvys are one of the most distinguished families in Scotland and take their name from Gillebride the second son of Gille Chriosd, Celtic Earl of Angus...
"A Fin" ("To the End") - Clan MackintoshClan MacKintoshClan Mackintosh is a Scottish clan from Inverness with strong Jacobite ties. The Mackintoshes were also chiefs of the Chattan Confederation.-Origins:...
: "Loch Moigh" - Clan MacIntyreClan MacintyreClan MacIntyre is a Scottish clan. The name MacIntyre , means "son of the carpenter." Although no documented history of the clan exists, it is most commonly said to descend from Maurice Mac Neil a nephew of Somerled, the great 12th century leader of the Scottish Gaels...
: "Cruachan" (a mountain, Ben CruachanBen CruachanBen Cruachan is a 1126 m mountain that is the highest point in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It gives its name to the Cruachan Dam, a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station located in a cavern inside the mountain, as well as providing the slogan for Clan Campbell.It is the high point of a...
) - Clan UrquhartClan UrquhartUrquhart is a Highland Scottish clan. They traditionally occupied the lands in the district and town of Cromarty, a former Royal Burgh with an excellent natural harbour on the tip of The Black Isle. Chiefs of the Clan were Barons and hereditary Sheriffs of the county for hundreds of years...
: "Trust and go forward" - Clan MunroClan Munro-Origins:The main traditional origin of the clan is that the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century and that they fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross who defeated Viking invaders in Rosshire...
: "Caisteal Folais'n a theine" ("Castle FoulisFoulis CastleFoulis Castle lies in the parish of Kiltearn, about 1.5 miles southwest of the village of Evanton in the Highland area of northern Scotland. The castle has been the seat of the Clan Munro for over eight hundred years. During the 11th century, the clan chief was given the castle and Foulis lands as...
in flames") - Clan ForbesClan ForbesClan Forbes is a Lowland Scottish clan from Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Origins:Concerning the origin of this Scottish clan, John of Forbes, the first upon record, seems to have been a man of importance in the time of William the Lion, and was the father of Fergus, from whom the clan are descended....
: "Lonach" (a mountain in StrathdonStrathdonStrathdon is an area in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated in the strath of the River Don, 45 miles west of Aberdeen in the Highlands...
)
- Clan Cameron
- "На Нож!" pronounced "Na Nozh!", translated "On Knife!" is a BulgarianBulgarian languageBulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
battle cry derived from attacking en bayonette. Popular among the Bulgarian army since the Balkan WarsBalkan WarsThe Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, it is still used today.
- The FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
soldiers (XVII-XVIIIth cent., when Montjoie Saint-Denis was no more used) were using during battle "Pour le Roi et pour la France !" (For the King and for France). - The FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
soldiers under the rule of Napoleon, particularly the cavalry men, used during their charges "Vive l'Empereur !" (Long live to the Emperor).
- In SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, during the Great Nordic War, the Swedish CaroleansCaroleansCaroleans were the soldiers of the Swedish kings Charles XI and Charles XII.-The Carolean army:To compensate for the lack of manpower and resources Sweden strived for innovative ways to make an effective army...
, would chant "Med Guds hjälp vilja vi strida" (With God's help, we want to fight) before going into battle. During the later part of the 18th century Swedish infantry would be issued the command "För Fäderneslandet, Gå på! - Hurra!" (For the fatherland, move onwards - Hurrah!"). - During the Great Nordic War, Finnish cavalrymen in Swedish service, known as HakkapeliittaHakkapeliittaHakkapeliitta is a historiographical term used for a Finnish light cavalryman in the service of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the Thirty Years' War...
s, shouted "Hakkaa päälle!" (see below). The same battle cry was used by Finnish soldiers in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. - The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth soldiers were using during attack "Bij! Zabij!" (polPolish languagePolish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
. "Fight! Kill!") or "Bij! Morduj!" (pol. "Fight! Murder!"). - The Ottoman TurkishOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
armies used to cry out "Allah! Allah! Allah!" when charging foes. - "¡Tierra y Libertad!" (SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, "Land and Freedom") was made popular by the MexicanMexican peopleMexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
revolutionary, Emiliano ZapataEmiliano ZapataEmiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
. - During the Battle of San JacintoBattle of San JacintoThe Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
, the TexianTexianTexian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
volunteers rushed into the fight crying, "Remember The Alamo, Remember
Goliad!"
- A common mexican war cry during the Texas RevolutionTexas RevolutionThe Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
and the Mexican-American War was Viva la Republica Mexicana!, Viva Santa Anna! (long live to the Mexican Republic, long live to Santa AnnaAntonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
) - The Rebel yellRebel yellThe rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers would use the yell during charges to intimidate the enemy and boost their own morale, although the yell had other uses. The exact sound of the yell is unknown and the subject of much...
, a call taken up by troops fighting on the side of the ConfederacyConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. - The Lakota Sioux were known to cry "Hoka Hey!" (very roughly, "Let's go!"). Although often misunderstood to mean "Today is a good day to die!" the phrase still barely survives today, used by some American soldiers of Native American descent.
- The MexicanMexican peopleMexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
's Grito de DoloresGrito de DoloresThe Grito de Dolores also known as El Grito de la Independencia , uttered from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato on April 19, 1810 is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is the most important national holiday observed in Mexico...
and/or Grito MexicanoGrito MexicanoGrito Mexicano , or simply grito, is a part of Mexican culture. It is similar to the yahoo or yeehaw of the American cowboy during a hoedown, except with added trills and an onomatopoeia closer to "aaah" or "aaayyyeee". The first sound is typically held as long as possible, leaving enough breath...
is associated with Mexican Independence Day and also traditional musicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
like mariachiMariachiMariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
.
Contemporary
Many nations use a battle cry or shout of acknowledgment that has a similar sound to "Hoo-rah" although explanations can vary wildly.- The Argentine NavyArgentine NavyThe Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
shouts something that sounds like "Ua! Ua! Ua!"
- Croatian Home GuardCroatian Home GuardCroatian Home Guard or also, known as the "Homeland Defenders," was the name used for the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which existed during World War II.- Formation :...
and UstašeUstašeThe Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
used battle-cry "Za dom spremni!" and means "Ready for homeland!", this battle-cry has its origin from Hungarian Revolution of 1848Hungarian Revolution of 1848The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
when Croatian commanders would yell "Za domovinu!" (For homeland), and soldiers would reply "Spremni umrijeti!" (Ready to die). "Za dom spremni!" was also used in Croatian War of IndependenceCroatian War of IndependenceThe Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
and Bosnian WarBosnian WarThe Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
. It was also official slogan of Croatian Defence ForcesCroatian Defence ForcesThe Croatian Defence Forces was the military arm of the Croatian Party of Rights from 1991 to 1992 during the first stages of the Yugoslav wars....
.
- The Portuguese ArmyPortuguese ArmyThe Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
ComandosComandosFor the denomination of "commando" see commando; for the Argentine special operations unit see Amphibious Commandos Group; for other special forces with "Commando" in their names see list of special forces units....
has traditionally used the unique battle-cry "Mama Sumae!" and means "Here we are, ready for the sacrifice"
- The Italian arditiArditiArditi was the name adopted by Italian Army elite storm troops of World War I. The name derives from the Italian verb Ardire and translates as "The Daring Ones"....
and blackshirts would cry "eia eia alalà!" soldiers of the king would cry "avanti savoia"
- During World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, members of the 1st Group of Fighter Aviation of the Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
used the powerful battle-cry "Senta a pua!" meaning "beat a lot, with force" but also "do something with disposition, determination and energy."
- The BritishBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Parachute Regiment has traditionally used the unique battle-cry "Wahoo Mohammed!" when going into battle. Its use originates from World War II, 1942–1943, when men of the 1st Airborne Division were used for conventional combat for the first time in Tunisia, during the North African campaign.
- GurkhaGurkhaGurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
soldiers have historically used "Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali", meaning "Victory to Goddess MahakaliMahakaliMahakali , literally translated as Great Kali, is a Hindu Goddess, considered to be the consort of Shiva the God of consciousness, and as the basis of Reality and existence...
, the Gurkhas are coming." This is still used by the Nepalese army and Nepalese army regiments of the Nepali Army, Indian ArmyIndian ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
and British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
- A FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
battle cry "Hakkaa päälle!", roughly "Cut them down!" or "Hack on!", which gave the colloquial name, HakkapeliittaHakkapeliittaHakkapeliitta is a historiographical term used for a Finnish light cavalryman in the service of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden during the Thirty Years' War...
for the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. Sometimes a longer version is used, "Hakkaa päälle Pohjan poika!", "Cut them down, son of the North!". One Finnish battle cry during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, since popularized by The Unknown SoldierThe Unknown Soldier (novel)The Unknown Soldier is author Väinö Linna's first major novel and his other major work besides Under the North Star. Published in 1954, it is a story about the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union as told from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers...
, was "Tulta munille!" which — again roughly — translates as "Fire at their balls!".
- The war cry of the French Colonial ForcesFrench Colonial ForcesThe French Colonial Forces , commonly called La Coloniale, was a general designation for the military forces that garrisoned in the French colonial empire from the late 17th century until 1960. They were recruited from mainland France or from the French settler and indigenous populations of the...
, particularly the paratroopers, was "Pour la colo!" (literally, "for the Colo", colo meaning "coloniale". Colo was the nickname for the colonial troops).
- The Greek Army battle cry is "Aera!", i.e. "(sweep them away like the) wind." During World War II it also took up the meaning of an acronym, where each letter symbolized an Allied country (A.E.R.A -> A = England (Anglia), E = Greece (Ellada), R = Russia (Rossia), A = USA (Ameriki) )
- The Indian ArmyIndian ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
uses the cry "Jai HindJai HindJai Hind जय हिंद is a salutation, slogan and battle cry most commonly used in India in speeches and communications pertaining to or referring to patriotism towards India . It translates roughly to "Hail India" or "Victory to India" or "Long live India"...
" which is Hindi for "Rule/Victory for India" and also "Vande Mataram" (Mother, Hail to you) and "Bharat Mata ki Jai". Some regiments use their own individual war cries (as seen below). The Indian Army's Mahar RegimentMahar RegimentThe Mahar Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahars in Maharashtra, the Mahar Regiment is one of the only regiments in the Indian Army that is composed of troops from all communities and regions of...
uses a similar war cry.- "Har Har Mahadev!" (referring to the god ShivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
) was used by the Marathas who formed the Maratha Empire. It is still used by the Maratha Light InfantryMaratha Light InfantryThe Maratha Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was formed as the 103rd Maharattas in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment of the Army....
regiment of the Indian Army, who also use Bol Shri Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai! (Shout victory to King Shivaji Maharaj!) - SikhSikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
soldiers have historically used "Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal", meaning "He who cries God is Truth is ever blessed". This is still used by the soldiers of the Indian ArmyIndian ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
's Sikh, Sikh Light Infantry and Punjab regiments. - The Jat RegimentJat RegimentThe Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army and is one of the longest serving and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 to 1947 and post independence 5 battle honours, Two Ashok Chakras, eight Mahavir Chakras, eight Kirti...
's battle cry is "Jat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan!" (The Jat are powerful, Victory be to God!) - The battle cry of The GrenadiersThe GrenadiersThe Grenadiers are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly part of the Bombay Army and later the pre-independence Indian Army, when the regiment was known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers. It has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also since the Independence of India...
is Sarvada Shaktishali! (Ever Powerful!), also the regimental motto. - Rhino Charge is the battle cry of the Assam RegimentAssam RegimentThe Assam Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The Regiment consists of 21 battalions; 14 regular units, three Rashtriya Rifles units, three infantry battalions of the Territorial Army and one battalion of Arunachal Scouts...
. - The Madras RegimentMadras RegimentThe Madras Regiment is the oldest regiment in the Indian army formed in the 1750s. The regiment has been through many campaigns with both the British Indian Army and the Indian Army.- History :...
's battle cry is Veera Madrassi, Adi Kollu, Adi Kollu! (Brave Madrassi, Hit and Kill, Hit and Kill!) - The Rajput regiments of the Indian Army have their own battle cries, and these are:
- Rajputana RiflesRajputana RiflesThe Rajputana Rifles is the most senior rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1921 as part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated together to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles...
- Raja Ram Chandra Ki Jai!(Victory to King Ram Chandra!) - Rajput RegimentRajput RegimentThe Rajput Regiment is a regiment in the Indian Army that is composed primarily of the Rajput clans from India. The British designated the Rajputs as a martial race and subsequently employed large numbers of these warriors in the British Indian Army....
- Bol Bajrang Bali Ki Jai! (Victory to the Great Lord HanumanHanumanHanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
!)
- Rajputana Rifles
- Jawala Mata Ki Jai! (Hail, Goddess Jawala!) is the Dogra RegimentDogra RegimentThe Dogra Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly the 17th Dogra Regiment when part of the British Indian Army.- Formation:The regiment has the Dogra people from the Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the hill regions of Punjab...
's battle cry. - Badri Vishal Lai Ki Jai! (Victory, Great Lord Badri Vishal!) is the battle cry of the Garhwal RiflesGarhwal RiflesThe Garhwal Rifles is a light infantry or 'rifle' regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised as the 39th Garhwal Rifles of the Bengal Army, became part of the old Indian Army, and received its present name on Indian independence...
Regiment.
- "Har Har Mahadev!" (referring to the god Shiva
- Indonesian Peta guerrillas or soldiers have or may continue to yell: "Mati" ("Die!") or "Ganyang Melayu" "Crush Malaysia" (used during Indonesia's Konfrontasi), "Ganyang Bombai" "Crush Indians (referring to Indian soldiers used by Britain to recapture Indonesia for the Netherlands)"Ganyang Cina" "Crush Chinese!" "Ganyang Belanda/Inggris/Londo" "Crush Dutch/British/"Whitey" during 1945-49 Independence War against Australia, Britain and Holland. Islamic fanatics such as Darul Islam or Jema'ah Islamiyah may cry "Allah Akbar". "Banzai" was also used by the Gyugeikan and Peta pro-Japanese Indonesian forces who decimated Australians in Papua New Guinea.
- Acehnese GAM terrorists would cry "Allahu Akbar"
- OPM terrorists in West Papua make "whooping" sounds before attacking rival tribes, police, rival villagers or military personnel.
- The modern IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i battle cry, the HebrewHebrew languageHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
"Kadima!", translates literally into English as "Forward!". Two other Israeli battle cries are "Akharai!", which translates as "After me," and "Iti!", which translates as "With me" and is associated with the Givati BrigadeGivati BrigadeThe Givati Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces, and serves as its amphibious force. Givati soldiers are designated by purple berets...
.
- The Italian Regio Esercito battle cry was "Avanti Savoia", who it inherited from its predecessor the Sardinian Army. Some brigades and other units used, and still use, their own individual war cries (as seen below).
- "Forza Paris" ("Forza insieme") was and is used by the Sassari BrigadeSassari Mechanized Brigade* "Sassari" Combat Service Support Battalion in Sassari* 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment in Teulada* 151st Mechanized Infantry Regiment "Sassari" in Cagliari* 152nd Mechanized Infantry Regiment "Sassari" in Sassari* 5th Engineer Regiment in Macomer...
. «Avanti Sardegna» was also a common battle cry during World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. - "Tridentina Avanti" was, during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the battle cry of the 2 Alpine Division Tridentina2 Alpine Division TridentinaThe 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina was a World War II Mountain Infantry division of the Italian Army. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units...
and after of the Alpine Brigade TridentinaAlpine Brigade TridentinaThe Alpini Brigade Tridentina was a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. Its core units were the Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II...
. - "A noi" ("With us") was, during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the battle cry of the BlackshirtsBlackshirtsThe Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
.
- "Forza Paris" ("Forza insieme") was and is used by the Sassari Brigade
- In JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the kamikazeKamikazeThe were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
pilots' battle cry was "Banzai!" (meaning "Ten thousand yearsTen thousand yearsThe use of the phrase "ten thousand years" in various East Asian languages originated in ancient China as an expression used to wish long life to the Emperor, and is typically translated as "long live" in English...
"). Many people misunderstood "Tora, Tora, Tora!" (JapaneseJapanese languageis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, "Tiger, Tiger, Tiger!") as a battle cry. But this was the content of the radio signal that indicated that the Pearl Harbor attack had been a complete success in catching the enemy unaware.
- The Lebanese Army battle cry is, or at least at one point was, "Honour, Loyalty, Sacrifice!" or "شرف · تضحية · وفاء" in modern Arabic. This is also the army motto in use today.
- The Russian Army battle cry had traditionally been "Ourrah!"/"Ura!" ('Ура', pronounced "oo-RAH," equivalent to "Hurrah!"). Another war cry used by Soviet soldiers during the Second World War, was "Za Rodinu! Za Stalina!", meaning "For Motherland! For Stalin!" and "There's no land behind the Volga River!" during the Battle of StalingradBattle of StalingradThe Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
. Before the revolution soldiers yelled "For faith, tsar and homeland". The Russian's are thought to have started the usage of Ura/Oo-rah/Oorah- The Bulgarian army also uses "Ura" as a battle cry, as does the Serbian (which caused confusion during the Second Balkan WarSecond Balkan WarThe Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
and World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
).
- The Bulgarian army also uses "Ura" as a battle cry, as does the Serbian (which caused confusion during the Second Balkan War
- The Serbian ArmySerbian Army-Objectives:The Serbian Army is responsible for:* deterring armed threats* defending Serbia's territory* participation in peacekeeping operations* providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief-Personnel:...
in some occasions Serbian officers until WW2 would cry "Za mnom junaci! za Kralja i Otadzbinu! Zivela Srbija!" which means "Follow me, Heroes! For King and Fatherland! Long live Serbia!" which would preceded the charge, and soldiers "Juriš" meaning "Charge!" or "Ura!".
- The Pakistan ArmyPakistan ArmyThe Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, in addition to "Allahu Akbar", also uses "Pakistan Zindabad", meaning in Urdu, "Long live Pakistan". Some regiments use their own individual war cries (as seen below)- PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
s Frontier Force RegimentFrontier Force RegimentFor Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
uses the cry "Labbaik" (Arabic/Persian for "we are here"/"we are answering the call").
- Pakistan
- U.S. MarinesUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
also shout "Oo-rah" — although the derivation is different — - U.S. ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
shouts "HooahHooahHooah is a U.S. Army and a Canadian Armybattle cry used by soldiers and also in use by the U.S. Air Force airmen "referring to or meaning anything and everything except no."-Usage:Some popular usages of HUA include:...
!" - U.S. Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
shouts "Huah!" - United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
use "Hoo-YAH!HooyahHooyah is the war cry or battle cry used by the United States Navy SEALs, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Teams, and Navy Deep Sea Divers. Recently, the US Navy as a whole has adopted it as a result of MCPON Rick West's regular use of the saying...
" for motivation in training. - The U.S. Army'sUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
101st Air Assault Division101st Airborne Division (United States)The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
has used "Geronimo!" as its battle cry since its origins as the First World War 101st Infantry Division, though during its parachute drops on D-Day, the unit temporarily substituted "Bill Lee!" in honor of General William C. LeeWilliam C. LeeMajor General William Carey "Bill" Lee was an American U.S. Army soldier and general. Lee is often referred to as the "Father of the U.S. Airborne".-Biography:...
, who was unable to lead the division following a heart attack.
- Canadian ForcesCanadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, sometimes also shout "HooahHooahHooah is a U.S. Army and a Canadian Armybattle cry used by soldiers and also in use by the U.S. Air Force airmen "referring to or meaning anything and everything except no."-Usage:Some popular usages of HUA include:...
!", especially when working with U.S. Army , although battle cries are rarely used. Canadian troops are known for their Quiet Professionalism. The only real exceptions (And they are almost more greeting than battle cry) are some Bn's of the Royal Canadian Regiment (Infantry), who sometimes use "Hoy" (However, it is widely disused in recent times), and the Canadian Military EngineersCanadian Military EngineersThe Canadian Military Engineers is the military engineer branch of the Canadian Forces.-Mission:The mission of the Canadian Military Engineers is to contribute to the survival, mobility, and combat effectiveness of the Canadian Forces...
, who use "ChimoChimoChimo may refer to:*Chimo, a greeting from the Inuktitut language of northern Canada, also used in some parts of Southern Ontario and Western Canada* Chimo, the nickname, cheer and mascot of the Canadian Military Engineers...
" - pronounced CHEE-mo. The current spelling and pronunciation is based on a Caucasian adaptation of the Inuktitut native language of northern Canada. The greeting was introduced during the time of unification to create a common tradition to the CME. The corps was also heavy involved with the development of Canada's North at the time.
- The German ArmyGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
during WW2 used the war cry Sieg Heil, which literally means Hail Victory, the war cry was also used before WW2 by Imperial Germany however under the Nazis it became far more prominent. It is now illegal to say it publicly in Germany. Before the arise of firearms, and even occasionally during the First World War, the battle cry ValhallaValhallaIn Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
! was used. This apparently saw a resurgence during the War in Afghanistan.
- The Spanish Foreign Legion (Legión Española) uses since its creation in 1920 the cry "Viva la Muerte" (Long live Death) created by the Legion's first chief, Lieutenant Colonel Millán Astray
- Korean martial artsKorean martial artsKorean martial arts are the martial arts that originated from Korea. Some well known Korean martial arts are hapkido, kuk sool won, and taekwondo. There has also been a revival of Korean sword arts as well as knife fighting and archery...
may call this sound a Yatz or Kihap (기합).
- Before going into battle, it has become common for NorwegianNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
officers to rally the soldiers by finishing each pre-battle briefing by shouting "Til ValhallValhallaIn Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field Fólkvangr...
!" (To Valhalla!) and the soldiers replying "Orrah!" while raising their weapons in the air.
See also
- Battle tranceBattle tranceBattle trance is a term denoting a specific altered state of consciousness that characterizes the psychological state of combatants during a combat situation. In this state, combatants do not feel fear or pain , and all the individual members of group are acting as one collective organism...
- Slogan (heraldry)Slogan (heraldry)A slogan is used in Scottish heraldry as a heraldic motto or a secondary motto. It usually appears above the crest on a coat of arms, though sometimes it appears as a secondary motto beneath the shield...
- Threat displayThreat displayThreat display is a type of display behaviour aiming at intimidation of a potential enemy. It may be directed at a rival of the same species , or at a potential threat from a different species....
- Mobbing call
- Alarm callAlarm callIn the field of animal communication, an alarm signal is an antipredator adaptation referring to various signals emitted by social animals in response to danger. Many primates and birds have elaborate alarm calls for warning conspecifics of approaching predators. For example, the characteristic...
- Advertising sloganAdvertising sloganAdvertising slogans are short, often memorable phrases used in advertising campaigns. They are claimed to be the most effective means of drawing attention to one or more aspects of a product. A strapline is a British term used as a secondary sentence attached to a brand name...
- Catchphrase
- Football chantFootball chantA football chant or terrace chant, is a song or chant sung at association football matches. They can be historic, dating back to the formation of the club, adaptations of popular songs, or spontaneous reactions to events on the pitch. They are one of the last remaining sources of an oral folk song...
- List of political slogans
- MemeMemeA meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena...
- Military slangMilitary slangMilitary slang is an array of colloquial terminology used commonly by military personnel, including slang which is unique to or originates with the armed forces. It often takes the form of abbreviations/acronyms or derivations of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, or otherwise incorporates aspects of...
- NewspeakNewspeakNewspeak is a fictional language in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the novel, it refers to the deliberately impoverished language promoted by the state. Orwell included an essay about it in the form of an appendix in which the basic principles of the language are explained...
- Public relationsPublic relationsPublic relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
- SoundbiteSoundbiteIn film and broadcasting, a sound bite is a very short piece of a speech taken from a longer speech or an interview in which someone with authority or the average "man on the street" says something which is considered by those who edit the speech or interview to be the most important point...
- Tripartite motto
- KiaiKiaiis a Japanese term used in martial arts. There are numerous examples of the battle cry in other cultures: kiai is perhaps primarily a development of this. In the representation of Asian martial arts in cinema and in animated cartoons, Modern Kiai are often written by westerners in Romaji as...