If men know that they are going to die...

Fix bayonets

Active member
...Why do they keep fighting?


In last stand actions such as Isandlwana, Little Big Horn, Maiwand and Gandamak soldiers fought on, even though they knew they were going to die.

Why did they fight even though they knew their was no hope of survival
 
Never give up... Never surrender. Soldiers fight on to die a honorable death, avoid capture, and to make their country's proud.
 
"Why Do Soldiers Fight....?"

This has been studied a lot, and the most common answer I've heard and read is "For my buddies...".

The strong bond between soldiers in a combat zone makes it your ultimate goal to make sure that your friends are as safe as they can, even if it can mean your life...

Here's and interesting article from About.com on the subject:
(if you can find it between all of the ads....)
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/army/a/soldiersfight.htm
 
Billy joels song "Goodnight Saigon" pretty much said it all in the chorus

"and we would all go down together..yes we would all go down together"

cant cut and run. Better to face em down, make your stand, and look apon your lord with lifted head and clear eyes when your account is demanded...
 
Its been said so many times by so many people. You fight for the familiy and friends back home, and even if that does not exist, you fight for the men standing next to you.
 
Usually in a battle situation, for your buddies. If it is a long lasting conflict, hatred towards the enemy enter into it as well.
 
Nah I doubt they do it to go down in history.
But after seeing their buddies get killed and stuff people tend to go insane.
 
In many cases they fight on knowing that death is preferable to capture, or for a greater cause, or because they are professionals. It's hard to pin it down to a single reason.

For example, some trapped Soviet forces in the Kiev pocket formed in Sept 1941 fought with unbelievable ferocity, fighting with their boots, their hands, their teeth in some cases. At that time, they probably did so because they were fighting for their motherland and perhaps their very existence as a nation. Later on, they probably fought to the death so not to end up in the hands of one of the Sicherungsdivisionen (Security Divisions) that followed the Wehrmacht into Russia or because they would be shot by their own officers if they retreated.
 
Spite...pure spite and hatred for the basterd who chooses you out of everyone in the battlefield to shoot at. :twisted:
 
In the states, we can reflect on abstracs like "Freedom.

But is comes down to the guy next to you.

You do what you can to help the next link in the chain.
 
Due, I swear to god, the last thing your going to be thinking of when your getting shot at is the code of conduct and honor... the mo-fo shooting at you is all your going to be thinking of, and how terribly your going to hurt him, the slow torture he's going to endure, etc.
 
Every Soldier, Sailor, Marine and Airforce personel will always have the fact when engaging in a conflict, police action and/or war there is a chance of being shot and wounded or killed. As the old adage goes, there is no name on the bullet, just to whom it may concern.

All military in the U.S., well 99% are willing to fight for their country knowingly there is a percentage will be wounded or killed in action and each member of the military realizes that without themselves being alert that their fellow soldiers depend upon their courage to stay and fight.

Yes, there is a matter of being proud, Esprit De Corps

SFC
 
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