On taking responsibility for the war, as quoted in Joseph Bryan, Admiral Halsey's story (1947), p. 76.
“Shoot first and inquire afterwards, and if you make mistakes, I will protect you.”
Hermann Göring (1893–1946) German politician and military leader
Instruction to the Prussian police (1933); as quoted in The House that Hitler Built (1937) by Stephen Henry Roberts. p. 63
“Now days battles are just sort of a "You shoot up my town and I'll shoot up yours."”
Harry Truman (1884–1972) American politician, 33rd president of the United States (in office from 1945 to 1953)
Letter to Bess Wallace (8 September 1918) https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/ww1/documents/fulltext.php?documentid=1-15 <br class="br">Context: Now days battles are just sort of a "You shoot up my town and I'll shoot up yours." They say that Americans don't play fair. They shoot 'em up all the time. I hope so because I want to finish this job as soon as possible and begin making an honest living again... Have fired 500 rounds at the Germans, at my command, been shelled, didn't run away thank the Lord and never lost a man. Probably shouldn't have told you but you'll not worry any more if you know I'm in it than if you think I am. Have had the most strenuous work of my life, am very tired but otherwise absolutely in good condition physically mentally and morally... When a High Explosive shell bursts in fifteen feet and does you no damage, you can bet your sweet life you bear a charmed life and no mistake. I didn't have sense enough to know what was going on until the next day and then I was pretty scared. The men think I am not much afraid of shells but they don't know. I was too scared to run and that is pretty scared.
“Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward.”
Amy Tan The Kitchen God's Wife
Source: The Kitchen God's Wife
“The first hundred thousand—that was hard to get; but afterwards it was easy to make more.”
John Jacob Astor (1763–1848) German-American businessman
Quoted in James Parton (1865), Life of John Jacob Astor
Joe Hill (1879–1915) Swedish-American labor activist, songwriter, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World
Remarks to the judge after being found guilty of murder (1915-07-08), as quoted in Philip Foner, The Case of Joe Hill (International Publishers Co., 1966, ISBN 0-717-80022-9, 127 pages), p. 49. Under Utah law, he was allowed a choice of being shot or hanged.
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything good.”
William Faulkner (1897–1962) American writer
