- published: 13 Feb 2016
- views: 37790
Last stand is a term used to describe holding a position against overwhelming odds.
Last Stand may refer to:
Last stand is a loose military term used to describe a body of troops holding a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds. The defensive force usually takes very heavy casualties or is completely destroyed, as happened in "Custer's Last Stand" at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Bryan Perrett suggests that although the majority of last stands throughout history have seen the defending force overwhelmed, on rare occasions the outnumbered defenders succeed in their desperate endeavours and live to fight another day, and he lists the Battle of Rorke's Drift as one such engagement.Battle of Saragarhi is another example of such a last stand.
A "last stand" is a last resort tactic, and is chosen because the defending force realizes the benefits of fighting outweigh the benefits of retreat or surrender. This usually arises from strategic or moral considerations, leading defenders to conclude that their sacrifice is essential to the greater success of their campaign or cause, as happened at the end of the Battle of Thermopylae.
We've been here for four long years,
Been a lot of smiles and a lot of tears.
I've known more men that died in here
Than friends I've had the last 40 years.
I'm a long, long way from home
Sending my life through a telephone.
Right now, my life is this gun, and I'll use it
To get back to my son.
(Chorus:)
We're making our last stand on
This lost and lonely ground,
Believing in the end it counts for something.
Yea-ah Yeah Yeah
I can't wait to get to heaven,
but I'm pretty sure I've already
Been to hell.
It's the love-hate part of it
A captain goes down with his ship.
But I've made my choice, and this is it:
This is the life that I must live.
(Chorus)
I'll leave it on my arm if you can tell.
To all my friends, I bid you well.
I'll leave it on my arm if you can tell.
I bid you well, I bid you well.
Will we ever get it?
Lay down your life, and follow me in through the dark. (Whoa)
We'll never know if we are too afraid to start. (Whoa)
Just keep your head down; it won't be your final march. (Whoa)
This is the only chance we'll have to leave our mark
(Whoa)