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Every soldier in every army is taught first off to be neat and clean, to keep his clothes in good repair, his buttons sewed on and his shoes polished, his face and hands and body washed, his beard shaved. He is respectful to his officers and stands at attention when he is addressed; he moves with precision about his business, walking as a soldier should, head up, chin in, arms at his sides.

— Alvah Bessie Men in Battle: A Story of American in Spain (1939)

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War

More quotes by Alvah Bessie

Sunny Spain, land of mañana, where nothing was done today that could be put off till tomorrow!

Men in Battle (1939)

You cannot really believe in the existence of a foreign country until you see it.

Men in Battle (1939)

Those Americans who went to Spain to fight Franco and stave off World War II have never minded being called "premature anti-fascists." They were proud of the label.

Men in Battle (1939)

Ahead, muffled by distance, was the sound of artillery in the night- always more terrifying than it is by day, though less effective.

Fear is real and there is nothing you can do about it except to keep functioning, keep your hands and legs and body moving, your mind focused on the task at hand.

Men in Battle: A Story of Americans in Spain (1939)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Alvah Bessie (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.