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{{Short description|A yell or chant taken up in battle}}
{{Other uses|Battle cry (disambiguation)|War cry (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|War chant|the stallion with the same name|War Chant|other uses|war song}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2009}}
A '''battle cry''' or '''war cry''' is a yell or chant taken up in [[battle]], usually by members of the same combatant group.
Battle cries are not necessarily articulate (e.g. "Eulaliaaaa!", "Alala"..), although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment. Their purpose is a combination of arousing aggression and [[esprit de corps]] on one's own side and causing intimidation on the hostile side. Battle cries are a universal form of [[display behaviour]] (i.e., [[threat display]]) aiming at [[competitive advantage]], ideally by overstating one's own aggressive potential to a point where the enemy prefers to avoid confrontation altogether and opts to flee. In order to overstate one's potential for aggression, battle cries need to be as loud as possible, and have historically often been amplified by acoustic devices such as [[Blowing horn|horns]], drums, [[conch]]es, [[carnyx]]es, [[bagpipe]]s, [[bugle (instrument)|bugle]]s, etc. (see also [[martial music]]).

Battle cries are closely related to other behavioral patterns of [[human aggression]], such as [[war dance]]s and taunting, performed during the "warming up" phase preceding the escalation of physical violence. From the [[Middle Ages]], many cries appeared on standards and were adopted as [[motto]]es, an example being the motto "[[Dieu et mon droit]]" ("God and my right") of the English kings. It is said that this was [[Edward III of England|Edward III]]'s rallying cry during the [[Battle of Crécy]]. The word "[[slogan]]" originally derives from ''sluagh-gairm'' or ''sluagh-ghairm'' (''sluagh'' = "people", "army", and ''gairm'' = "call", "proclamation"), the [[Scottish Gaelic]] word for "gathering-cry" and in times of war for "battle-cry". The Gaelic word was borrowed into English as ''slughorn'', ''sluggorne'', "slogum", and ''slogan''.

==History==

===Antiquity===

* The war cry is an aspect of epic battle in [[Homer]]: in the ''[[Iliad]]'', [[Diomedes]] is conventionally called "Diomedes of the loud war cry." [[Hellenes]] and [[Akkadians]] alike uttered the [[onomatopoeia|onomatopoeic]] cry ''"[[alala]]"'' in battle.<ref>[[Walter Burkert|Burkert, Walter]], 1992. ''The Orientalizing Revolution: Near Eastern Influences on Greek Culture in the Early Archaic Age'', p 39f.</ref>
* The troops of ancient [[Athens]], during the [[Greco-Persian Wars|Medic Wars]] and the [[Peloponnesian War]] were noted for going into battle shouting "''Alala or Alale!''", which was supposed to emulate the cry of the owl, the bird of their patron goddess [[Athena]].<ref>Per Hesiod, Penguin Edition of Works and Days</ref>
* The [[Western Huns]] attacked with terrifying battle cries.<ref>T.J. Craughwell, 2008, ''The Vikings, Vandals, Huns, Mongols, Goths, and Tartars who Razed the Old World and Formed the New'', Fair Winds Press, p. 41, {{ISBN|978-1-59233-303-5}}</ref>
*One of the common [[Hindu]] war cries was "Har Har Mahadev" meaning, "''Hail to [[Rudra|Mahadev]] !"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.krazylyrics.in/2016/09/21/har-har-mahadev-meaning-english/|title=Har Har Mahadev Meaning – English Translations and Meaning of Hindi songs – KrazyLyrics|date=21 September 2016}}</ref>
* A common war cry used in ancient [[Tamilakam]] was "Vetrivel, Veeravel," meaning, "Victorious Vel, Courageous Vel." [[Vel]] is the holy spear of [[Murugan]],the Hindu war deity, At present The Battle cry "Vetrivel, Veeravel" is being used in 191 Field Regiment of [[Indian Army]] based in [[Madukkarai]], [[Coimbatore]].<ref>Kalki R. Krishnamurthy's Ponniyin Selvan: The first floods, Macmillan India Limited, 1 January 2000, p. 300</ref><ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/-vetrivel-veeravel-slogan-entrance-madukkarai-army-battalion-complex-row-1828528-2021-07-15 Department of Defence's Public Relations Officer's statement on Veeravel vetrivel warcry. </ref>

===Middle Ages===
{{Heraldic achievement}}
*During the Scottish wars of independence, Scottish soldiers used [[Alba gu bràth]] as a battle-cry, a phrase that means 'Scotland for ever' (literally, 'Scotland until judgement'.) This was depicted in the film '[[Braveheart]]' during which Mel Gibson, playing William Wallace, shouts the phrase to rally his soldiers just before a battle commenced.
* Each Turkic tribe and tribal union had its distinct [[tamga]] (seal), totemic ''[[ongon]]'' bird, and distinct ''uran'' (battle cry) (hence the Slavic ''urah'' "battle cry").<ref>Shipova E.N., 1976, ''Dictionary of Türkisms in Russian Language'', Alma-Ata, "Science", p. 349</ref><ref>Dal V.I., ''Explanatory Dictionary of the Live Great Russian language'', vol. 4, p. 507, Diamant, Sankt Peterburg, 1998 (reprint of 1882 edition by M.O.Wolf Publisher), (''In Russian'')</ref> While tamgas and ''ongons'' could be distinct down to individuals, the hue of horses and ''uran'' battle cries belonged to each tribe, were passed down from generation to generation, and some modern battle cries were recorded in antiquity. On split of the tribe, their unique distinction passed to a new political entity, endowing different modern states with the same ''uran'' battle cries of the split tribes, for example [[Kipchak people|Kipchak]] battle cry among [[Kazakhs]], [[Kyrgyz people|Kirgizes]], [[Turkmens]], and [[Uzbeks]]. Some larger tribes' ''uran'' battle cries:
** Kipchak – "ay-bas" ("''lunar head''").<ref>Zuev Yu. , 2002, ''Early Türks: Essays of history and ideology'', Almaty, Daik-Press, p. 76, {{Listed Invalid ISBN|9985-4-4152-9}}</ref>
** Kangly (Kangars) – "bai-terek" ("''sacred tree''").<ref>Zuev Yu., 2002, ''Early Türks'', p. 73</ref>
** Oguzes – "teke" ("''mount''")<ref>Karpovdun G.I., ''Тіркмöн uruuluk en tamgalary.
maalymattarynyn negizinde'', in Karataev O.K., 2003, ''Kyrgyz-Oguz History (Кыргыз-Огуз Тарыхый – Этникалык Байланыштары''), Kyrgyz Utuluk university, pp. 199–207</ref>
* [[Awake iron!|Desperta ferro!]] (in catalan meaning "Awake iron!") was the most characteristic cry of the [[Almogavar]] warriors, during the [[Reconquista]].
* [[Deus vult]]! ("God wills it!" in Latin) was the battle cry of the Crusaders.
* [[Montjoie Saint Denis!]]: battle cry of the [[Kings of France]] since the 12th century.
* [[santiago!|Santiago y cierra, España!]] was a war cry of Spanish troops during the [[Reconquista]], and of the [[Spanish Empire]].
* On 14 August 1431, the whole [[Holy Roman Empire]] army (of the [[Hussite Wars|4th anti-Hussite crusade]]) was defeated by the [[Hussites]] in the [[Battle of Domažlice]]. Attacking imperial units started to retreat after hearing [[Ktož jsú boží bojovníci]] ("''Ye Who Are Warriors of God''") choral and were annihilated shortly after.
* ''[[Allahu Akbar|Allāhu akbar]]'' (الله أكبر, "[[God in Islam|God]] is [the] greatest") and ''Allāhu allāh'' (الله الله,"God! God!") were used by Muslim armies throughout history. ''Al-naṣr aw al-shahāda'' (النصر أو الشهادة, "Victory or martyrdom") was also a common battle cry; the [[At-Tawbah]] 9:52 says that God has promised to the righteous Muslim warrior one of these two glorious ideals.{{Original research inline|date=August 2020}}
* ''Óðinn á yðr alla'' (''Odin owns you all'') - A reference to Odin's self sacrifice at Yggdrasil. Attributed to [[Eric the Victorious]].

===Pre-modern===
* When putting out peasants' rebellions in Germany and Scandinavia around 1500, such as in the [[Battle of Hemmingstedt]], the Dutch mercenaries of the [[Schwarze Garde|Black Guard]] yelled ''Wahr di buer, die garde kumt'' ("Beware, peasants, the guards are coming"). When the peasants counterattacked, they responded with ''Wahr di, Garr, de Buer de kumt'' ("Beware, Guard, of the farmer, [who is] coming").
* The Spanish cried ''Santiago'' ("Saint James") both when reconquering Spain from the [[Moors]] and during conquest in early colonial America.
* Polish "[[Polish hussars|Winged Hussars]]" used to shout ''Jezus Maria'' ("Jesus, Mary") or ''Matka Boska'' ("Mother of God") during their charges.
* King [[Henry IV of France]] (13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), a pleasure-loving and cynical military leader, famed for wearing a striking white plume in his helmet and for his [[war cry]]: ''Ralliez-vous à mon panache blanc!'' ("Follow my white plume!").
* Burmese soldiers of the Konbaung Dynasty under [[Alaungpaya]] were recorded to shout ''Shwebo-Thar'' (Sons of Shwebo) during the [[Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War|Konbaung-Hanthawady War]].
* Most of the Jaikaras were popularized by [[Guru Gobind Singh]]. The [[Sikh]]s have a number of battle cries or jaikara the most popular ones being as follows:
** ''Bolna ji'' (utter) - ''Waheguru'' (wondrous enlightener)
** ''[[Deg Tegh Fateh|Deg Teg Fateh]]'' (the kettle and the sword are un-conquerable) - ''Panth ki jit'' (the entire Sikh society is victorious)
** ''[[Bole So Nihal]]...[[Sat Sri Akaal]]'' ("Shout Aloud in Ecstasy... True is the Great Timeless One"),
** ''Nanak naam [[Charhdi Kala|charhdi kalaa]]'' (Nanaak may Thy name be exalted) - ''Tere'' ''bhaanae sarbatt daa bhalaa'' (and all people prosper by Thy grace)
** ''[[Waheguru|Waheguru ji ka Khalsa]]'' (the brotherhood of pure ones belongs to the wondrous enlightener) - [[Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh|''Waheguru ji ki Fateh'']] (victory belongs to the wondrous enlightener)
** ''[[Raj Karega Khalsa]]'' - (The Khalsa rules) Aaki Koye Na Hoye (And no one else)
** ''Gaj ke jaikara gajaave fateh paave nihaal ho jaavae, Sat Sri Akaal gurbaar akaal hee akaal''|| (excerpt from ardas of ''Buddha Dal'' prayerbook gutka praising the blessing of uttering jaikara proclaiming supreme truth).
* The [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]] soldiers' war cry against the [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] was ''Hu, Hu''.<ref name=borah>{{cite book|title=Baharistan-I-Ghaybi – Volume 1|author=M. I. Borah|year=1936|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.84864/page/n216|page=177}}</ref>
* The [[Gurkha]] (Gorkha) soldiers' battle cry was, and still is, ''Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali!'' ("Victory to Goddess Mahakali, the Gurkhas are coming!")<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 20, 2011|first=Gurmeet |last=Kanwal|title=Ayo Gorkhali! The war cry that has done us proud|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/all-that-matters/Ayo-Gorkhali-The-war-cry-that-has-done-us-proud/articleshow/10799851.cms|access-date=2020-12-14|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1964-10-18|title='Ayo Gorkhali!'; 'The Gurkhas are upon you!' Is the battle cry of one of the world's famous hands of fighting men: Nepal's 'happy warriors.' (Published 1964)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/18/archives/ayo-gorkhali-the-gurkhas-are-upon-you-is-the-battle-cry-of-one-of.html|access-date=2020-12-14|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
* The [[rebel yell]] was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War.
* Finnish light cavalry troops in the Swedish army in the 17th and 18th centuries, would use the battle cry ''Hakkaa päälle!'' ("Cut them down!" in Finnish), lending them the name [[Hackapell]].
* Irish Regiments of various Armies used and continue to use Gaelic war cries, ''[[Faugh a Ballagh]]'' ("Clear the way!") or Erin go Bragh (Ireland Forever)
* The [[Swedish army]] in the 18th and 19th century would be issued with the command to attack with "För Fäderneslandet, gå på, Hurra!" (For the Fatherland, onwards, Hurrah!)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gustavianer.com/?page_id=300|title=Reglemente – Westgiötha Gustavianer|website=gustavianer.com}}</ref>
* [[Argentina|Argentine]] general [[José de San Martín]] is known in [[South America]] for his [[war cry]]: ''Seamos libres, que lo demás no importa nada!'' (Let's be free, nothing else matters!).
* In the [[Texas Revolution]], following the [[Battle of Goliad]] and the [[Battle of the Alamo]], Texan soldiers would use the battle cry "Remember Goliad! Remember the Alamo!"
* In the [[Battle of Dybbøl]] in 1864, both Danish and German forces used "Hurrah" as a war cry.
* During [[World War I]] in the [[Italian Front (World War I)|Italian Front]] of 1915. Before battle, Italian Soldiers would yell "Savoia" or "Avanti Savoia", which is "Come on [[House of Savoy|Savoy]]!" or "Onwards Savoy!" in Italian (compare "For the king!" among British soldiers of the same era).

===Modern===
* During [[World War II]], ''Tennōheika Banzai'' (天皇陛下万歳, ''May the Emperor live for [[ten thousand years]]'') served as a battle cry of sorts for Japanese soldiers, particularly in a "[[banzai charge]]".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0521223520&id=x5mwgfPXK1kC&pg=RA4-PA2-IA1&lpg=RA4-PA2-IA1&ots=qldL6Hoj_-&dq=Kamikaze+banzai+emperor&sig=kFtrqmdqs7n1DeTaXp_R-d7ScPs p.3, The Cambridge history of Japan, by John Whitney Hall], 1988 Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN|0-521-22352-0}}</ref> The most popular battle cry is "Ei ei oh" (エイエイオー), which is usually used at the start of battle.<ref>[https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%AC%A8%E3%83%BB%E9%AF%A8%E6%B3%A2-340491#E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.9E.97.20.E7.AC.AC.E4.B8.89.E7.89.88 鬨・鯨波（読み）とき] Kotobank</ref><ref>[https://kotobank.jp/word/%E3%81%88%E3%81%84%E3%81%88%E3%81%84%E3%81%8A%E3%81%86-442966 えいえいおう（読み）エイエイオウ] Kotobank</ref>
*"Avanti Savoia!" (English: Go Savoia!) was the patriotic battle cry of the [[Italian Royal Army]] during [[World War I]] and to a lesser extent, World War II. Infantrymen would scream this motto when launching an offensive attack, namely against the [[Austro-Hungarians]].
*During the [[Greco-Italian war]] (in WWII) the Greeks would shout "Αέρα!" (wind) as their battle cry.
*During the [[Korean War]], the [[Korean People's Army]] used the phrase "김일성 수령님 만세" (transliterated ''gim-ilseong sulyeongnim manse'', translated as "Long live the Great Leader [[Kim Il-sung]]").
* [[Hooah]] is the war cry of the [[United States Army]], the [[United States Air Force]], and the [[United States Space Force]]. [[Oorah]] is the war cry used by [[United States Marine Corps]]. [[Hooyah]] is the war cry of the [[United States Navy]] and the [[United States Coast Guard]]. The Slavic version, "Ura!" has been used by the [[Imperial Russian Army]], the [[Red Army]], and the [[Russian Ground Forces]], alongside many more Eastern European armed forces. It was also used by [[Yugoslav Partisans]] as Juriš/Јуриш.
*"Merdeka atau mati!" (English: Freedom or death!) Used by Indonesian national army and freedom fighters (Indonesian: Pedjoeang/pejuang) during [[Indonesian war of independence]].
* In Afghanistan, Norwegian troops of the [[Telemark Battalion]] would sometimes use the battle cry "Til Valhall!" (To [[Valhalla]]!) followed by [[Oorah]].<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYy7a8Fhb1w|title=Til Valhall – Norwegian Soldiers Battle Cry|date=5 May 2011|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref>
* [[Muslim]] [[Mujahideen]] and soldiers in the Middle East and North Africa shout '[[Takbir|Allahu Akbar]]' (God is the greatest).
* During the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] the [[Mukti Bahini]] would shout [[Joy Bangla]] (Victory to Bengal / Long live Bengal) during their battles against the Pakistani military.
* During the [[Indochina War]] in [[Vietnam]], the [[Viet Minh]] soldiers usually used "Xung phong" (English: Charge) whenever attacking the enemy. The same battle cry would be used later by [[People's Army of Vietnam|PAVN]] and [[Viet Cong|NLF]] forces during the [[Vietnam War]].
* Each individual regiment of the [[Indian Army]] has a unique war cry. These chants are sonorous with the beliefs of individual clans from which the troops belong too.
* During the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], "Slava Ukraini" ([[Slava Ukraini|Слава Україні!]] English: Glory to Ukraine!), often accompanied by a reply of "Heroiam Slava" ([[Героям слава!]] English: Glory to the heroes!), became an internationally-known battle cry not only among domestic forces, but also among [[Western world|western]], mostly [[NATO|NATO allies]].

==See also==
{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Grito Mexicano|Grito]] (Mexican shout)
* [[Alala]]
* [[Alarm call]]
* [[Battle Cry of Freedom]]
* [[Catchphrase]]
* [[Demoralization (warfare)]]
* [[Huzzah]]
* [[Kiai]]
* [[Military slang]]
* [[Mobbing call]]
* [[Slogan (heraldry)]]
* [[War dance]]
}}

==References==
* Guilhem Pepin, ‘Les cris de guerre " Guyenne ! " et " Saint George ! ". L’expression d’une identité politique du duché d’Aquitaine anglo-gascon’, ''Le Moyen Age'', cxii (2006) pp 263–81
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* Philip Rance, [https://web.archive.org/web/20140628223103/http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118318140.wbra990/full 'War Cry' in ''The Encyclopedia of the Roman Army''] – Roman battle cries
* Ross Cowan, [https://archive.today/20140325113052/http://www.academia.edu/5958001/The_Clashing_of_Weapons_and_Silent_Advances_in_Roman_Battles '''The Clashing of Weapons and Silent Advances in Roman Battles'''] – battle cries and the drumming of weapons in Roman warfare

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Cry}}
[[Category:Battle cries| ]]
[[Category:Military terminology]]

Battle cry - Revision history

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