Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
The Portuguese Conquest of Malacca from the Portuguese perspective, not some spins as in our current history textbooks.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
As soon as the the said Captain-Major arrived with his fleet, he spent a few days sending messages of peace, trying as much as he could to avoid war. However, the levity of the Malayans, and the reckless vanity and arrogant advice of the Javanese, and the king's presumption and obstinate, luxurious, tyrannical and haughty disposition-because our Lord had ordained that he should pay for the great treason he had committed against our people-all this together made him refuse the desire for peace. They only attempted to delay matters with Malayans messages, strengthening their position as much as they could, as it seemed to them that there was no people in the world as powerful enough to destroy them.
So the said Governor managed to get back Rui de Ara'ujo and those who were prisoners with him. The king never wanted peace, against the advice of his Lasamane and the Bendara and his Cerina De Raja that he should make peace; but following his own counsel and that of his son, whom he afterwards killed, and of.... other young nobles who offered to run completely amok for the king, he would hear nothing of peace, the Kashises and their mollahs [those learned in the theology and sacred law of Islam] telling him that he should not make peace; for as India was already in the hands of the Portuguese, Malacca should not pass to the infidels. The king's intention became known, and it was necessary that the said king should not go unpunished for what he did and for the evil counsel he took.
The Governor, having taken counsel, landed with his men and took the city; and the king and his men fled. The Captain-Major returned to the ships that day and did not allow the said king to be harmed, to see if he would desist from his obstinate intention. The king of Malacca fled with his daughters and all his sons-inlaw, kings of Kampar and Pahang. They went to Bretao , which is the residence of kings, and the Captain-Major took possession of the city. The city and the sea were cleared up, and authorities were appointed.
The Captain-Major began to make a fortress of wood for want of stone and lime, and in the meantime order was given for the lime; then they began demolishing the wooden one and they made the famous fortress in the place where it now is, on the site of the great mosque, strong, with two wells of fresh water in the towers, and two or three more in the bulwarks. On one side the sea washes against it, and the other the river. The walls of the fortress are of great width; as for the keep, where they are usually built, you will find few of five storeys like this. The artilley, both large and small, fires on all sides.
Extracted from "Malaysia-Selected Historical Readings compiled by John Bastin and Robin W.Winks, Kuala Lumpur, Oxford University Press 1966
