Victory or death

"Victory or death" and its equivalents, is used as a motto or battle cry.


 * The Bedford Flag, possibly the oldest extant battle flag of the American Revolution, bears the motto Vincere nel mori ("To conquer or die")
 * Before Washington's crossing of the Delaware River at the Battle of Trenton in 1776, "Victory" was the password and "Or Death" was the response.
 * The Maniots used "Victory or Death" as their motto when they joined the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.
 * The letter written "To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World" during the Battle of the Alamo (1836), ends with "Victory or Death!".
 * Adolf Hitler gave the order "Victory or Death" twice:
 * to Erwin Rommel at the Second Battle of El Alamein (1942);
 * to Friedrich Paulus at the Battle of Stalingrad (1942–3).
 * The 32nd Armor Regiment of the United States Army has the motto "Victory or Death".
 * The 1960 film G.I. Blues features the regimental emblem as Elvis Presley had served with them in 1958–60.
 * The 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off features a black beret bearing the regiment's emblem.
 * Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses has the regiment's emblem and motto tattooed on his left arm.
 * The 442 Field Artillery Battalion of the US Army have the motto Victoria laeta aut mors ("Glorious victory or death")
 * The Chilean Navy has the motto Vencer o Morir ("Conquer or Die").
 * It was used as a battle cry in medieval Muslim battles and conquests.

Heraldic motto
It is given as the translation of the heraldic motto of several Scottish clans :
 * Clan MacDougall – Buaidh no bas ("Victory or death")
 * Clan MacNeil – Buaidh no bas ("Victory or death")
 * Clan Macdowall – Vincere nel mori ("To conquer or die")
 * Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie – Vincere nel mori ("To conquer or die")
 * Clan McCabe – Vincere nel mori ("To conquer or die")

The Irish clan Murphy of Wexford and Cork uses Vincere nel mori ("To conquer or die")

In fiction

 * In Mass Effect the Krogan word "korbal" is roughly translated to "Victory or Death".
 * In the 1984 film The Last Starfighter, the phrase is chanted by the starfighters.
 * In the Warcraft universe, "Lok'tar ogar!" (Victory or Death!) is the battlecry of the Horde.
 * In Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. It is said by the warrior in beginning of games.
 * In Guild Wars, "Victory or Death" was the name of a skill in Guild versus Guild battles. In Guild Wars 2, it is the title of the final story quest.
 * In Warhammer 40,000, "Victorus aut Mortis" is the war cry of the Raven Guard chapter of Space Marines.
 * In the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates and 2003 video game Call of Duty, "Victory or Death" is a common slogan for Red Army Political Commissars.