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999
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Courage does not mean they weren't scared, it means they went in anyway (i.imgur.com)

submitted ago by PopeSweetJesus

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[–]FaultyWires 163 points164 points ago

Repost. This picture is like 70 years old.

[–]KyussHead -2 points-1 points ago

Plus I'm sure anyone that has made it through elementary school has seen it before.

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]totallynotsquidward 7 points8 points ago

Hes joking, buddy...

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]Busangod 2 points3 points ago

I don't think you needed that hyphen

[–]lickachiken 60 points61 points ago

“Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?"

"That is the only time a man can be brave.”

  • A Game of Thrones

[–]SirDudeGuyFella 10 points11 points ago

Here's another:

A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honor. Yet soon or late in every man's life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose.

Maester Aemon, Game of Thrones

[–]Thumbz8 1 point2 points ago

People very commonly confuse comfort with confidence.

[–]drodjan 2 points3 points ago

  • Ned Stark

[–]AvastYeBrigand -1 points0 points ago

You know nothing, Bruce Wayne.

[–]lordfalgor 11 points12 points ago

The history of the image is itself incredible.

The photographer were Robert Capa. He covered most of the wars of his time (as you can read in the article), and since he was very devoted to his work, he shot a lot of films during WWII. After the conflict, he gave the films to a photo lab so it can be developped. But they totally screwed them up and destroyed most of his work because they needed them quick to finish the issue of Life the photos were for. The incredible 11 photos we still have are just a tiny fraction of what we could have today.

[–]Livecrazyjoe 0 points1 point ago

Thank you for the info. Much better than just posting a picture with a witty or inspiring saying.

[–]PopeSweetJesus[S] 0 points1 point ago

I agree. If I had known all of this, I would have posted it as well.

[–]procopio 0 points1 point ago

Have you read his book "slightly out of focus"?

[–]lordfalgor 0 points1 point ago

No I've never read it, even when my teacher told me to. I guess it goes on my list, thanks for reminding me !

[–]procopio 0 points1 point ago

The foreword by his brother states that it is not a documentary, but the facts as Cappa would tell them, still his description of his day on that beach is really amazing. It is a very short book, go read it!

[–]gunslinger_006 9 points10 points ago

"The way it works is, you do the thing you are terrified of and you get the courage after"

I don't remember the source of that quote, but its absolutely true.

RIP to all the men who died in that war, trying to keep the world free.

[–]c4g 2 points3 points ago

Three Kings.

[–]ExoStasis 8 points9 points ago

"They purposefully put soldiers with absolutely no experience on the very front lines because those with any sort of combat experience knew better" - my squadron's unit historian. My jaw dropped when i heard that..and it makes a lot of sense too..

[–]MEDICBC 0 points1 point ago

I think it had a lot more to do with the Germans not being able to fight on such two large fronts.

I left a word.

[–]Brotherauron 7 points8 points ago

I prefer this quote: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.” -Ambrose Redmoon

[–]lowdownlow 1 point2 points ago

Had to comment. That is a beautiful way to put it. You always hear about courage only being applicable during times of fear, but to put in a purpose just makes it much better to me.

[–]mudg3 7 points8 points ago

I like how this picture gets posted a lot but can you imagine what it would have been like sitting there on the cliffs looking at the sea with a 1000 ships coming and and 1000's of planes going overhead? Its safe to say that where ever you were that day in that area its something that non of us will never feel and hopefully never feel.

[–]Gebby254 22 points23 points ago

My great uncle died on that beach. I can't even imagine the moments leading up to that door dropping. Hell on Earth.

[–]nss68 8 points9 points ago

the wait is the worst part...

'and then the war part isn't that bad?'

oh yeah, i forgot about that part -shivers-

[–]rawbdor 1 point2 points ago

the wait is the worst part...

Yeah,because while you're waiting, the machine gunes are slicing yo people in adjacent boats or in your boat... and the door hasn't even dropped yet.

[–]nss68 0 points1 point ago

my boat has anti-nazi-bullet sheilds, youve probably never heard of it

[–]BeatlesForSale 2 points3 points ago

I heard that some of the men decided charging a Jerry machine-gun nest would be better than getting back on the boats because they were so horribly sea sick on the way there.

[–]imafunghi 0 points1 point ago

I would think staying on the boat, facing all the fire, would make you even more vulnerable. I think there was no choice but to keep charging.

[–]nzulauf 2 points3 points ago

Its a shame most of Capa's photographs (from Omaha beach)were fucked up by a lab accident in London..

[–]JoeyBragg 3 points4 points ago

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway." -John Wayne

[–]TrippyVersion 4 points5 points ago

The life worth living, is one worth dying for...

[–]sloppyjalopy 6 points7 points ago

This has been my background for a while, also kind of puts things in perspective.

[–]MilesColtrane 3 points4 points ago

I actually have it as my background, but without that stupid text. Still puts things in perspective without the words

[–]dressiertugboat 5 points6 points ago

Yeah, that text is cheesy as fuck and ruins the effect.

[–]DeepFriedPanda 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, WWII imagery has the same effect on me. After a crap day at work, put on the "Bastogne" episodes of Band of Brothers to see what crap really is.

[–]greenmonke 1 point2 points ago

I think this pretty much sums up the title.

[–]DrFeargood 1 point2 points ago

This is one of those pictures that I don't mind seeing reposted.

[–]PhillyT 1 point2 points ago

Respect

[–]wiltimermort 1 point2 points ago

My Great Grandpa lived throughout that day, one of my heroes, died last year.

[–]thebeloved 1 point2 points ago

My grandfather was there

[–]PopeSweetJesus[S] 1 point2 points ago

I see many people who say that this is one of the main photo's that grasp the concept of war for them. That made me want to share this picture.

http://i.imgur.com/dprFl.jpg

That picture is a hard-looker like the one I first posted, but it gives you another perspective on the WW2 that im guessing not too many people have thought about.

[–]Mako565 2 points3 points ago

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do, not for your country or your leaders, but for the people next to you. The highest and most ultimate test of character for an individual under the most intense and brutal of situations.

[–]GrindyMcGrindy 3 points4 points ago

I believe that isn't called courage. I believe that's called duty.

[–]Dekkres 8 points9 points ago

Courage? It wasn't a choice for most of them.

[–]yangx 1 point2 points ago

Even more true for the ruskies.

[–]mainsworth 6 points7 points ago

You're welcome, mainland Europe.

  • Canada, USA, GB.

[–]SomeDudeFromJersey 3 points4 points ago

+French Commandos.

[–]mainsworth 3 points4 points ago

Africans.

[–]Mr_M_Burns 3 points4 points ago

Mainsworth, unless you were there, and I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, as my WWII-veteran grandfather does get on line from time to time, shut the fuck up.

[–]mainsworth -5 points-4 points ago

I'm glad you agree.

[–]mainsworth -5 points-4 points ago

Nok

[–]xanderpo 2 points3 points ago

Upvote for many of them being Canadian... and I doubt that the guy that took the photo made the trip back =(

[–]BlizzardFarce 1 point2 points ago

I don't remember who took this picture, but I'm pretty sure he made it home. This picture wasn't taken until the fourth wave of D-Day IIRC. Almost all of the pictures from the first wave were ruined when an editor opened the darkroom door because he wanted the pictures faster.

[–]alwayschoosepeace 1 point2 points ago

In fact The canadians were the only ones to meet all of their objectives for the initial invasion - Juno Beach.

[–]xanderpo 0 points1 point ago

I remember playing that scene over & over again in a Medal of honor game... fucking intense!

[–]rprebel 3 points4 points ago

The beach at Normandy. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

http://i.imgur.com/nYKZE.jpg

[–]dressiertugboat 0 points1 point ago

Not bad.

[–]RetroRocker 1 point2 points ago

Can't help it; That makes me think you're paraphrasing the Third Doctor there: “Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened, you know. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.”

[–]Trust_The_Math 0 points1 point ago

The Doctor isn't really a fan of guns though, if I remember right.

[–]RetroRocker 0 points1 point ago

Well, it's true of course that the Doctor doesn't carry around a gun and they aren't his first choice of tool for solving a situation, but if you watch enough 'Classic' DW then you'll find that the Doctor actually has no qualms about using guns if a desperate situation calls for it; he does do on several occasions in several incarnations.

The whole 'The Doctor is a pacifist' thing is largely a myth perpetuated by the new series- 8/11 doctors had no hesitation to use violence if someone stood in the way of them saving the day.

[–]lompocmatt 1 point2 points ago

I have so much respect for all these men. I know for me I do not have the balls to step one foot on that beach

[–]leeferman -3 points-2 points ago

You mean the men on the beach inside the bunkers fighting for their country?

[–]lompocmatt 1 point2 points ago

I should've been more specific. I have so much respect for the men who are storming the beach, from the boats, knowing that there is a very slim chance that they will live through it. And for the record, nobody on that beach was defending their country. The Germans were trying to hold France and the US, Canadian, british and the France were trying to take France back from the Germans

[–]LtThunderpants 1 point2 points ago

My wife's grandfather is in that picture. They have it hanging up in every house each member of the family owns.

[–]jplawton 1 point2 points ago

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear- Mark Twain

[–]dropkickninja 1 point2 points ago

awesome picture.

[–]DeepFriedPanda 0 points1 point ago

Does anybody know the story behind the helmet in the bottom right corner?

Is that a soldier who was too afraid to get off the landing craft, or was it just a helmet hanging on the side?

Edit: Nevermind. It appears to be the driver of the boat.

[–]alwayschoosepeace 0 points1 point ago

I actually had family on both sides of the war (Italian, Canadian) If they were both alive family reunions might be a little more tense

[–]lycao 0 points1 point ago

Remember watching a military documentary, and when they were talking to a squad one of them said "If anyone tells you they aren't scared out here, they're lying to your face.".

[–]hilton285240 0 points1 point ago

You can't take a country from the air.

[–]cheesinator 0 points1 point ago

That gave me goosebumps.

[–]UltraMittens 0 points1 point ago

The sound. Imagine the sound on that beach that day. We see the pictures, the video's, the stills and we read about it. But the sound...can't even fathom how horrible it must have been.

[–]RDANW 0 points1 point ago

Can't remember where I heard it, Courage is not the absence of fear but the conviction to do what is right despite that fear.

[–]gammarath 0 points1 point ago

It's funny seeing this photo without an AT-AT in the background. That was my desktop wallpaper for the 3 years

[–]ghostlyforce 0 points1 point ago

Can anyone make this into a background with that caption?!

[–]Busangod 0 points1 point ago

"Cowardice, as distinguished from panic, is almost always simply a lack of ability to suspend the functioning of the imagination." - Ernest Hemingway

[–]RNRSaturday 0 points1 point ago

Courage... Except that photographer. He was like, I'll just hang back here.

[–]kingslykoala 0 points1 point ago

My great uncle took a demotion in rank from his position as drill sergeant to die with his men on the beaches of Normandy.

[–]Good2bCh13f 0 points1 point ago

A slight modification made this my favorite background:

[–]miba -1 points0 points ago

...and they died.....

seriously, they were cannon fodder and i am very sorry for those poor young men

[–]BabyRobotInc 1 point2 points ago

Cannon fodder? Those men were heroes who charged into hell to save the world.

Many died, but their lives were given for a greater good, and were certainly not given in vain.

[–]miba -2 points-1 points ago

i was not saying that the men were not heroes or trying to put them down,

i was criticising the the decision of the people who sent those soldiers in!

[–]DeepFriedPanda 8 points9 points ago

How would YOU have retaken France from Nazi Germany?

[–]dopplerdog -1 points0 points ago

They didn't have to, the Soviets would have done that for them.

Overlord wasn't to kick the Nazis out - it was to prevent the Soviets from taking all of Europe.

[–]DeepFriedPanda 3 points4 points ago

I disagree. The Western Front was Stalins idea all along. He spent at least years before D-Day practically begging Churchill & Roosevelt to invade France and open up a second front that would divide the German war effort and ease the pressure on Russia.

[–]dopplerdog 1 point2 points ago

You've raised a point I hadn't thought of. I've looked around for an analysis of this, and found this:

http://jaskar.hubpages.com/hub/The-Second-Front-the-most-significant-cause-of-tension

It is clear that during 1942-1943 the Second front would have been a major cause of tension between the allies because of Russia’s desperate position; they were barely able to hold on in the face of the Wehrmacht’s assault. However, from the victory at Stalingrad onwards, its importance decreased as long as the Americans keep the huge amounts of supplies coming, the Russians could keep fighting without direct military assistance from the west.

It's merely a blog, hardly a reputable source in itself, but it does cite its sources for its conclusions. I'm going to have to look into it a little more closely - as I said, you raised an important point I hadn't thought of, so now I'm going to have to reassess. Thanks.

[–]Golemfrost -3 points-2 points ago

I wouldn´t have, it could have only went uphill for the French. :p

[–]BabyRobotInc 6 points7 points ago

The decision to send them in saved millions of lives, and the planning, subterfuge and precision of the assault prevented massive casualties. Of the 156,000 Allied troops that assaulted the beaches, only ~4,000 died in the battle.

Gens. Eisenhower, Montgomery and Morgan deserve no criticism for Operation Overlord.

[–]mainsworth 0 points1 point ago

You mean the military strike that led to the downfall of the Nazi regime?

[–]Crackerjacksurgeon 0 points1 point ago

That was countless Russian lives, buddy.

[–]mainsworth 0 points1 point ago

The Russians were certainly instrumental. The Invasion of Normandy was predominantly Americans, Canadians an Brits though. That was the subject at hand.

[–]Crackerjacksurgeon 1 point2 points ago

'Led to the downfall' is a bit of an overstatement imho, see this map of USSR's advances. The Red Army was pretty much up Hitler's ass already when the D-Day landings occurred.

That said, the Red Army had the advantage of being led by a brutal dictator, so they didn't give a fuck about casualty figures.

[–]mainsworth 0 points1 point ago

It was a two pronged effort. If Hitler only had to worry about one front we'd be speaking German right now.

[–]SimilarImage -3 points-2 points ago

Age User Title Reddit Cmnt Points
9 months Herramenn Been my desktop background for about a year, always keeps things in perspective [FIXED] here 33 219
1 year WhatTheMustard Never forget here 353 803
1 year TheRealBramtyr Rather than give a headline that waxes sentimental, political; I'll just say June 6th was a momentous day in history, and let you take what you will from this photo. here 109 382

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[–]TypoBrahe 0 points1 point ago

Was this necessary?

[–]otm_shank 2 points3 points ago

It's a bot.

[–]Shawnthecannibal 0 points1 point ago

stuff like this makes me proud that im join the miltary in 2 months makes me feel better about my decision more and more

[–]Strikerj94 0 points1 point ago

This is the only picture that has ever captured the magnitude of the war for me

[–]CubanMissileCrisis 0 points1 point ago

this picture gives me goosebumps

[–]Iamforserious 0 points1 point ago

This pic also tells a possible story about someone just wanting to tell a story. May not have even been in the service. Courage there as well, if true.

[–]TylerC_D 0 points1 point ago

Poor scared photographer..

[–]TrueMilli 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, let's call it "courage".

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

Its not courage if you were forced to be there against your will...

[–]DNR_me 0 points1 point ago

"Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway." John Wayne

My favorite.

[–]Fists_of_Fury -3 points-2 points ago

Karmawhore

[–]iamUberPro -1 points0 points ago

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear."

[–]Zoidinho -1 points0 points ago

I have a sudden urge to watch Saving Private Ryan and wear an American Flag cape

[–]felixjawesome 3 points4 points ago

Wearing the American flag as an article of clothing is considered disrespectful.

The flag is never to be used for decorative purposes.

[–]Backhorn -2 points-1 points ago

"Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?" "That is the only time a man can be brave."

[–]ExoStasis -2 points-1 points ago

Any young college student regurgitating their professors ideals would tell you this is the "horrors of war". In reality, the Axis of Evil was knocking on The United States doors'. We were the last bastion of defense for literally the entire world. When I say, we're the reason why we don't speak German today, I'm serious. This HAD to happen. Everyone knew it. This is bravery and courage In the flesh. These men knowingly lived on borrowed time. If there was ever a War worth fighting.. It was this one.. Rest in peace.

[–]leeferman 0 points1 point ago

Have you never heard of the Soviet Union?

[–]snow_56767 1 point2 points ago

I realize this post is probably no longer the topic of the day, but I have seen (read) and heard that argument many times before. I have to say, having been to france and seen the beach myself, I think ALL of Europe is fuckin glad the US did what we did. At a tremendous cost, we liberated those contries from the Nazis and helped make it so they had chances to grow on their own. The french people in particular, I believe, have the greatest respect for that generation at least. So please, don't say stupid shit like "The Soviets would have helped them" because, they wouldn't have. The Soviets instead conquered, as opposed to liberating.

[–]hermit_the_frog -1 points0 points ago

Except that guy in the bottom right corner

[–]lucid808 0 points1 point ago

You mean the guy who drove the boat in and help get the photographer out? Yeah, what a coward. /s

[–]Jesus_luvs_Jenkem -1 points0 points ago

I could have got karma with this!?

[–]t0wn -1 points0 points ago

This is more than a little circlejerky.

[–]Ameisen -1 points0 points ago

Boys, just trying to fight off an American invasion.

[–]fawker -2 points-1 points ago

This pretty timely for me, as I just watched K-19: The Widow Maker last night. I had no idea Liam Neeson was in that, and did a damn good job. Harrison Ford was lacking quite a bit with that attempted russian accent.

But more to the topic, going into that reactor room. What a horrible way to go, and to know what's going to happen before hand, even worse.

[–]desquibnt -2 points-1 points ago

Giving it a new title does not constitute original content

[–]Slavigula -2 points-1 points ago

They had nowhere else to go. It's that simple. Too much heroic bullshit and very little sense. Especially from people who didn't even give a fuck about Europe when Nazis were still strong. 5 years into the war when 5-6 million strong Soviet army was crashing Nazis they suddenly decided to invade and brag about how victorious they are. Pathetic Jackals! That's should be the caption.

[–]Phobos172 -1 points0 points ago

dunno about the rest of you, but seeing pictures of this day always bring a tear to my eye. too bad I only have one upvote man.

[–]PopeSweetJesus[S] 0 points1 point ago

I only care about sharing, karama doesent mean shit. It's ok

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