Quotes About History

lines from Byron's Childe Harold: Here, where the sword United Nations drew, Our countrymen were warring on that day! And this is much—and all—which will not pass away.

Ingratitude towards their great men," says Plutarch, "is the mark of strong peoples.

Those who do not learn from History are condemned to repeat it.

The old wars were decided by their episodes rather than by their tendencies. In this war the tendencies are far more important than the episodes. Without winning any sensational victories we may win this war.

But over a century before she appeared an outlaw knight, William Wallace, arising from the recesses of South-West Scotland which had been his refuge, embodied, commanded, and led to victory the Scottish nation.

The Christian Church became the sole sanctuary of learning and knowledge.

When all was over, Torture and Cannibalism were the only two expedients that the civilized, scientific, Christian States had been able to deny themselves: and these were of doubtful utility.

At one moment France too seemed about to succumb, but the Arabs were beaten back by Charles Martel, grandfather of Charlemagne, in 732 at Poitiers. Thus, all the way from Mecca the power of Islam came almost to within striking distance of these islands.

The original "Articles of the Barons" on which Magna Carta is based exist to-day in the British Museum. They were sealed in a quiet, short scene, which has become one of the most famous in our history, on June 15, 1215. Afterwards the King returned to Windsor. Four days later, probably, the Charter itself was engrossed. In future ages it was to be used as the foundation of principles and systems of government of which neither King John nor his nobles dreamed.

I had told Parliament on June 4: "The great French Army was very largely, for the time being, cast back and disturbed by the onrush of a few thousand armoured vehicles. May it not also be that the cause of civilisation itself will be defended by the skill and devotion of a few thousand airmen?

I have always believed and I still believe that it is the Red Army that has torn the guts out of the filthy Nazis.

The Scots were unconquerable foes. It was not until 1305 that Wallace was captured, tried with full ceremonial in Westminster Hall, and hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn. But the Scottish war was one in which, as a chronicler said, "every winter undid every summer's work". Wallace was to pass the torch to Robert Bruce.

When they came to shore they would sweep together all the horses of the neighbourhood and move themselves and their plunder on horseback across the land. It was with no intention of fighting as cavalry that they collected the horses, but only for swift marching. The first mention of this practice in England comes in the year 866, when "a great heathen army came to the land of the East Angles, and there was the army a-horse".

the French Canadians… derived greater pleasure from singing "God Save the King" than from singing "Rule Britannia.

The Late Bronze Age in the southern parts of Britain, according to most authorities, began about 1000 B.C. and lasted until about 400 B.C.

It's ridiculous what little the French do!

By what process could the slaughter of ten million men and the destruction of one-third of the entire savings of the greatest nations of the world have ushered in a Golden Age?

For God's sake, let us sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the death of kings.

We have had nothing else but wars since democracy took charge.

India is a geographical term. It is no more a united nation than the Equator.

Fascism was the shadow or ugly child of Communism

Salutations and congratulations upon the victory of Bardia! If I may debase a golden phrase, "never has so much been surrendered by so many to so few". The

Winston S. Churchill

It marked in fact the turning of "the Hinge of Fate". It may almost be said, "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat.