Only he can understand what a farm is, what a country is, who shall have sacrificed part of himself to his farm or country, fought to save it, struggled to make it beautiful. Only then will the love of farm or country fill his heart.

The soldier's body becomes a stock of accessories that are not his property.

I'll look as if I'm dead, and that won't be true.' I said nothing. 'You understand. It's too far. I can't take this body with me. It's too heavy.' I said nothing. 'But it'll be like an old abandoned shell. There's nothing sad about an old shell...' I said nothing. 'It'll be nice, you know. I'll be looking at the stars, too. All the stars will be wells with a rusty pulley. All the stars will pour out water for me to drink...' I said nothing. 'And it'll be fun! You'll have five-hundred million little bells; I'll have five-hundred million springs of fresh water...' And he, too, said nothing more.

The notion of looking on at life has always been hateful to me. What am I if I am not a participant? In order to be, I must participate.

The dignity of the individual demands that he be not reduced to vassalage by the largesse of others.

If France is to be judged, judge her not by the effects of her defeat but by her readiness to sacrifice herself.

Once men are caught up in an event, they cease to be afraid. Only the unknown frightens men.