Did you ever wonder why the Marine Corps Hymn starts with the words:
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
The “shores of Tripoli” refers to our military’s first battles against Muslim terrorists.
The Barbary Powers conflict began during the American Revolution when Muslim terrorists from four different Islamic nations (Tunis, Morocco, Algiers, and Tripoli) began making indiscriminate attacks against the property and interests of what they claimed to be “Christian” nations (America, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, etc.).
The Barbary Powers (called Barbary “pirates” by most Americans) attacked American civilian and commercial merchant ships (but not military ships) wherever they found them. Prior to the Revolution, American shipping had been protected by the British navy, and during the Revolution by the French navy. After the Revolution, however, America lacked a navy of her own and was therefore left without protection for her shipping. The vulnerable American merchant ships, built for carrying cargoes rather than fighting, were therefore easy prey for the warships of the Barbary Powers, which seized the cargo of the ships as loot and took their seamen (of whom all were considered Christians by the attacking Muslims) and enslaved them. [17]
In 1784, Congress authorized American diplomats John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson to negotiate with the Muslim terrorists. [18] Negotiations proceeded, and in 1786, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson candidly asked the Ambassador from Tripoli the motivation behind their unprovoked attacks against Americans. What was the response?
The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the laws of their Prophet [Mohammed] – that it was written in their Koran that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners; that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners; and that every Musselman [Muslim] who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise. [19]
- Source
They weren’t terrorists. Terror is the result of occupation. As Reagan said, one man’s rterrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.
THe Barbary Pirates were, uh, pirates. The Catholic churches had for centuries collected money to offer as ransom to them when the crews were held.
It’s an example of bad foreign policy. When you subsidize something, you get more of it. The pirates left us alone as long as we paid protection money. Then Algiers broke the deal, and Jefferson (who never much liked it anyway) jumped at the chance to war.
In any event, they attacked us first, which is one of the basic principles behind the just war theory.
Oops! forgot to mention that Tripoli actually declared war on us. What a concept.
From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli—
Marines on board the young Navy’s ships, fighting the Barbary pirates, wore stiff leather collars to protect against sword and knife wounds to the throat– Hence “Leather-necks”.
During WW1 Marines fought at the Belleau Woods in France, now called “Woods of the Marine Brigade” (4th Brigade). At which times the Germans described the US Marines as “Teufelhunders” meaning, the “Hounds of Hell”, “Devil dogs”. Hence “Devil Dog”, a US Marine.
In WWII the United States Sailors called the Marines “Jar Heads” because the Marine dress blue uniform has the high stiff collar (reminscent of the leather collar). The sailors said the high stiff collars made the Marines look like “Mason Jars”–Hence “Jar-Heads”. To which the Marine would always respond–”Semper Fi”, meaning “I got mine, what about you”. that response can be shortened to 2 short words, but not in polite company. TO WHICH THE SAILORS WOULD RESPOND (UNDER THE BREATH) “GLORIFIED BELHOPPS” :) :) :) In serious situations it was always , AND ALWAYS WILL BE, SEMPER FIDELIS, to all branches of Armed Services.
In 1940 the US Marine Corps wrote the “Small Wars Manual”, which all branches of the Armed Forces still use today. The contents of the manual can be summed up in a few short words, “LET US WIN YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS, OR WE WILL BURN YOUR DAMNED HUT DOWN”. no appologies necessary then, and I do not think this prez speaks for them now either WHEN HE APPOLOGIZES FOR THE ACTIONS OF AMERICA.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES***
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