According to Paul Fussel's book "Wartime," "Chickenshit refers to behavior that makes military life worse than it need be: petty harassment of the weak by the strong; open scrimmage for power and authority and prestige; sadism thinly disguised as necessary discipline; a constant 'paying off of old scores'; and insistence on the letter rather than the spirit of ordinances. Chickenshit is so called--instead of horse- or bull- or elephant shit--because it is small-minded and ignoble and takes the trivial seriously."
This definition is cited by at least two books by Steven E. Ambrose, "Citizen Soldiers" and "Band of Brothers."
This definition is cited by at least two books by Steven E. Ambrose, "Citizen Soldiers" and "Band of Brothers."
Soldier 1: I got fined $25 this morning!
Soldier 2: What for?
Soldier 1: Some rear-echelon type saw me and said that I wasn't maintaing a professional appearance. I can't help it that we've been living in foxholes for the last week and because of the snipers, I can't shave.
Soldier 2: That's chickenshit.
Soldier 2: What for?
Soldier 1: Some rear-echelon type saw me and said that I wasn't maintaing a professional appearance. I can't help it that we've been living in foxholes for the last week and because of the snipers, I can't shave.
Soldier 2: That's chickenshit.
by CW_5000 July 22, 2009
by CW_5000 December 31, 2009