A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same military unit. These cries can serve many purposes, including inspiring those otherwise inclined to stay back, promoting a sense of esprit de corps, or even terrifing the enemy troops.
Examples of battle cries
- The rebel yell , a call taken up by troops fighting on the side of the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
- In Japan, the kamikaze pilots battle cry was "Tora, Tora, Tora". For this pilots, such cry help them to have the courage to give their lives for the empire.
- In Spain, a very religious country, during the conquest of America, they cried "Santiago", looking for holy protection from St. James.
- The Vikings used to scream random things and imitated animal sounds during battle to intimidate their enemies.
- Many Native Americans used animal sounds to scare and to communicate. Some North American tribes are famous for their ability to imitate these sounds.