Battle cry

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For other uses, see Battle cry (disambiguation)

A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, 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 and esprit de corps on one's own side and causing intimidation on the hostile side.

Battle cries are a universal form of display behaviour (i.e., threat display) 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, drums, conches, carnyxes, bagpipes, bugles, etc. (see also martial music).

Battle cries are closely related to other behavioral patterns of human aggression, such as war dances and taunting, performed during the "warming up" phase preceding the escalation of physical violence.

From the Middle Ages, many cries appeared on standards and were adopted as mottoes, an example being the motto "Dieu et mon droit" ("God and my right") of the English kings. It is said that this was Edward III's rallying cry during the Battle of Crécy.

The word "slogan" 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.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Evolutionary function

According to Joseph Jordania rhythmically organized loud group singing/shouting in dissonant harmonies, together with threatening body movements, drumming on external objects, body painting and object throwing were developed by the forces of natural selection in the early stages of hominid evolution, in order to defend hominids against the big African predators (big cats, sabretooth tigers) after they descended from the relatively safe tree branches to the predator-infested ground.[1] Jordania suggested the ancient battle cry was used to put hominids and early humans in a specidic altered state of consciousness, the battle trance, where group members were losing their individuality and were obtaining collective identity. 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.

[edit] Antiquity

  • The Biblical account of the Battle of Jericho 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.[2]
  • The war cry is an aspect of epic battle in Homer: in the Iliad, Diomedes is conventionally called "Diomedes of the loud war cry." Hellenes and Akkadians alike uttered the onomatopoeic cry "alala" in battle, a cry not far from "Alleluia" (Burkert 1992:39-40).
  • The troops of ancient Athens, during the Medic Wars and the Peloponnesian War were noted for going into battle shouting "Alala or Alale!", which was supposed to emulate the cry of the owl, the bird of their patron goddess Athena. [3]
  • The troops of the early Roman Republic 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" Although most historians doubt this. Some accounts claim that the crusaders used this chant. German soldiers during World War II marched to this chant, confirming its conceived etiology.
  • The late Roman and Byzantine empires used "Nobiscum Deus" (Latin, "God with us"), as their battle cry.
  • The Western Huns attacked with terrifying battle cries[4]

[edit] Middle Ages

  • "Allahu Akbar" (the Takbir) meaning "God is great" in Arabic — was common in Muslim armies or commonly used by Muslim warriors in battle, and is still heard today by soldiers throughout the Muslim world, especially by insurgents, as well as "Yaa Dhiskiaon", an onomatopoeic sound referring to gunpowder.[clarification needed]
  • Parvati Pateyah Har Har Mahadev in Sanskrit meaning "Victory to the Supreme God (Shiva), The Lord of Parvati". This was a common battle cry for medieval Indians fighting against foreign invaders. Also used by the Hindu Marathas 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 Hastings, Wace 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 Hastings was "Dex Aie!" (Old Norman, "God aid us!"). This was last used by the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry during World War I.
  • The Crusaders used the cry "Caelum denique!" (Latin, "Heaven at last!"). The Crusaders, especially the religious orders, also used "Deus vult" (Latin, "God wills it").
  • In Spain, during the Reconquista (718-1492 AD) and the conquest of America, they cried "Santiago y cierra, España" ("Saint James and attack,[5] 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 Denis!", calling upon the patron saint of France.
  • Portuguese troops, after the 14th century, used to cry "Portugal e São Jorge! (Portugal and Saint George), calling for the patron saint of Portugal. Before that the Portuguese used the common Iberian 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!" (Czech, "At them!") was used by Hussite warriors during the Hussite Wars. Modern Czech infantry often uses "Hurá!" while charging (similar to the Russian Army cry mentioned below).
  • The Almogavars 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 Muntaner. Is now used by Spanish paratroopers.
  • The Catalan (Aragonese) 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.
  • Each Turkic tribe and tribal union had its distinct tamga, totemic ongon bird, and distinct uran battle cry (hense the Slavic “Urah” battle cry)[6] [7] While tamgas and ongons could be distinct down to individuals, the hue of horses and uran battle cries belonged to each tribe, were passed down from generation to generation, and some modern battle cries were recorded in antiquity. On split of the tribe, their unique distinction passed to a new political entity, endowing different modern states with the same uran battle cries of the split tribes, for example Kipchak battle cry among Kazakhs, Kirgizes, Turkmens, and Uzbeks. Some larger tribes' uran battle cries:
    • Kipchak - "ay-bas" ("lunar head”)[8]
    • Kangly (Kangars) - "bai-terek" ("sacred tree")[9]
    • Oguzes - "teke" ("mount")[10]

[edit] Modern

Early modern to modern (1500 to 1914) war cries

  • During the Cuban Revolution the communist revolutonaries warcry was "Libertad o muerte" (Freedom or death)
  • The various Gaelic-speaking peoples have a long tradition of employing battle cries. One used by the Irish people is Fág an bealach! (sometimes rendered "Faugh a ballaugh!"), Irish for "Clear the way!" The O'Neill family motto is the Irish "An lámh dhearg abú", in English "The Red Hand" — the heraldic symbol of O'Neill and Ulster — followed by Abú, which is a war cry possibly related to buaidh 'victory'. "Tiocfaidh ár lá" is another cry used, primarily by the Irish Republican Army, 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 motto, slogan, or rallying cry:-
  • "На Нож!" pronounced "Na Nozh!", translated "On Knife!" is a Bulgarian battle cry derived from attacking en bayonette. Popular among the Bulgarian army since the Balkan Wars, it is still used today.
  • The French 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 French soldiers under the rule of Napoleon, particularly the cavalry men, used during their charges "Vive l'Empereur !" (Long live to the Emperor).
  • In Sweden, during the Great Nordic War, the Swedish Caroleans, 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 Hakkapeliittas, shouted "Hakkaa päälle!" (see below). The same battle cry was used by Finnish soldiers in World War II.
  • The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth soldiers were using during attack "Bij! Zabij!" (pol. "Hit! Kill!") or "Bij! Morduj!" (pol. "Hit! Murder!").
  • The Ottoman Turkish armies used to cry out "Allah! Allah! Allah!" when charging foes.
  • "¡Tierra y Libertad!" (Spanish, "Land and Freedom") was made popular by the Mexican revolutionary, Emiliano Zapata.
  • During the Battle of San Jacinto, the Texian volunteers rushed into the fight crying, "Remember The Alamo, Remember

Goliad!"

[edit] 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 Portuguese Army Comandos has traditionally used the unique battle-cry "Mama Sumae!" and means "Here we are, ready for the sacrifice"
  • The Italian arditi and blackshirts would cry "eia eia alalà!" soldiers of the king would cry "avanti savoia"
  • During World War II, members of the 1st Group of Fighter Aviation of the Brazilian Air Force used the powerful battle-cry "Senta a pua!" meaning "beat a lot, with force" but also "do something with disposition, determination and energy."
  • The British 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.
  • Gurkha soldiers have historically used "Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali", meaning "Victory to Goddess Mahakali, the Gurkhas are coming." This is still used by the Nepalese army and Nepalese army regiments of the Nepali Army, Indian Army and British Army.
  • A Finnish battle cry "Hakkaa päälle!", roughly "Cut them down!" or "Hack on!", which gave the colloquial name, Hakkapeliitta for the Finnish cavalry in the Thirty Years' War. Sometimes a longer version is used, "Hakkaa päälle Pohjan poika!", "Cut them down, son of the North!".
  • The war cry of the French Colonial Forces, 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 Army uses the cry "Jai Hind" 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 Regiment uses a similar war cry.
    • "Har Har Mahadev!" (referring to the god Shiva) was used by the Marathas who formed the Maratha Empire. It is still used by the Maratha Light Infantry regiment of the Indian Army, who also use Bol Shri Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai! (Shout victory to King Shivaji Maharaj!)
    • Sikh soldiers have historically used " 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 Army's Sikh, Sikh Light Infantry and Punjab regiments.
    • The Jat Regiment's battle cry is "Jat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan!" (The Jat are powerful, Victory be to God!)
    • The battle cry of The Grenadiers is Sarvada Shaktishali! (Ever Powerful!), also the regimental motto.
    • Rhino Charge is the battle cry of the Assam Regiment.
    • The Madras Regiment'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:
    • Jawala Mata Ki Jai! (Hail, Goddess Jawala!) is the Dogra Regiment's battle cry.
    • Badri Vishal Lai Ki Jai! (Victory, Great Lord Badri Vishal!) is the battle cry of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment.
  • Indonesian Peta guerrillas or soldiers have or may continue to yell: "Merdeka atau Mati" ("Victory or 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 Israeli battle cry, the Hebrew "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 Brigade.
  • In Japan during World War II, the kamikaze pilots' battle cry was "Banzai!" (meaning "Ten thousand years"). Many people misunderstood "Tora, Tora, Tora!" (Japanese, "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[disambiguation needed ] 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 Stalingrad. 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 Serbian Army 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 Army, 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)
  • Canadian Forces, sometimes also shout "Hooah!", especially when working with U.S. Army[citation needed], although battle cries are rarely used. Canadian troops are known for their Quiet Professionalism.[citation needed][citation needed] 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 Engineers, who use "Chimo" - 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 Army 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 Valhalla! 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
  • Before going into battle, it has become common for Norwegian officers to rally the soldiers by finishing each pre-battle briefing by shouting "Til Valhall!" (To Valhalla!) and the soldiers replying "Orrah!" while raising their weapons in the air.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Burkert, Walter, 1992. The Orientalizing Revolution: Near Eastern Influences on Greek Culture in the Early Archaic Age, p 39f.
  • Guilhem Pepin, ‘Les cris de guerre « Guyenne ! » et « Saint George ! ». L’expression d’une identité politique du duché d’Aquitaine anglo-gascon’, Le Moyen Age, cxii (2006) pp 263–81
  1. ^ Joseph Jordania. Why do People Sing? Music in Human Evolution. Logos, 2011.
  2. ^ "With glee they will call "Hey-Ah!" while from far they will smell war, drums, songs and horn-blowing" (Job 39,25: Translated from original Hebrew). "May they turn away and feel the loss - those who are my enemies, may they turn on their heels of distress, those who called on me: "Hey-Ah! Hey-Ah!" (Psalms 40,15 and similarly in ch.70 which is a short war prayer based on 40), also in Ezekiel (25,3; 26,2; 36,2), Isaiah (44,16), Psalms (35,21 & 25).
  3. ^ Per Hesiod, Penguin Edition of Works and Days
  4. ^ T.J. Craughwell, 2008, The Vikings, Vandals, Huns, Mongols, Goths, and Tartars who Razed the Old World and Formed the New, Fair Winds Press, p. 41, ISBN: 9781592333035
  5. ^ cerrar in the Diccionario de la Real Academia Española.
  6. ^ Shipova E.N., 1976, Dictionary of Türkisms in Russian Language, Alma-Ata, "Science", p. 349
  7. ^ Dal V.I., Explanatory Dictionary of the Live Great Russian language, vol. 4, p. 507, Diamant, Sankt Peterburg, 1998 (reprint of 1882 edition by M.O.Wolf Publisher), (In Russian)
  8. ^ Zuev Yu. , 2002, Early Türks: Essays of history and ideology, Almaty, Daik-Press, p. 76, ISBN 9985-441-52-9
  9. ^ Zuev Yu., 2002, Early Türks, p. 73
  10. ^ Karpovdun G.I., Тіркмöн uruuluk en tamgalary maalymattarynyn negizinde, in Karataev O.K., 2003, Kyrgyz-Oguz History (Кыргыз-Огуз Тарыхый - Этникалык Байланыштары), Kyrgyz Utuluk university, pp. 199-207
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