William Lyon Mackenzie King Quotes
Self-denial and self-discipline, however, will be recognized as the outstanding qualities of a good soldier.
King, William Lyon Mackenzie. Temperance and a Total War Effort: Broadcast by Right Hon. W. L. Mackenzie King, M.P., Prime Minister of Canada, Wednesday, December 16, 1942. Director of Public Information, 1942.
Westmoreland’s critics point to this quotation as an illustration of exactly why he was the wrong man for the job. As Vietnam Supreme Commander, he controlled more firepower than any other military leader in history and yet he had “no room” for thought or reason much less mercy. Subsequent commanders of U. S. military efforts were much more sophisticated like, Colin Powell, Norman Schwarzkopf, and Wesley Clark who were leading American thinkers, sophisticated at political and military reasoning and very capable of mercy. The modern American military requires men and women who are skilled at thinking and reasoning.
In the attack on Fort Wagner, the color bearer was killed as was the Commanding Officer, Colonel Shaw. Carney raised the flag and led the men up the sand wall into the Confederate midst. They were vastly outnumbered and then retreated. Carney was the first Black to win the Medal of Honor.
Colonel Banks had given him the Regimental colors flag and urged him to take care to return it with honor. This was his famous reply. In the midst of the Battle he was hit fatally with a cannonball. A Black corporal then took up the colors and he too was killed and yet another Negro corporal took the flag and returned it after a battle where the Blacks were commended for their valor. This quotation has been quoted to military men and women throughout the world as an outstanding example of military bravery and honor..
William Lyon Mackenzie King OM CMG PC, commonly known as Mackenzie King, was a Canadian statesman and politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921–1926, 1926–1930 and 1935–1948. A Liberal, he was the dominant politician in Canada during the interwar period from the 1920s through the 1940s. He is best known for his leadership of Canada throughout the Second World War (1939–1945) when he mobilized Canadian money, supplies and volunteers to support Britain while boosting the economy and maintaining morale on the home front. With a total of 21 years and 154 days in office, he remains the longest-serving prime minister in Canadian history.
