--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I joined the Army in the late '70s…" description: "\"When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, so all of the '80s, I was engaged in what co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg" --- # When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real… ![“When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, so all of the '80s, I was engaged in what could be classed as conventional operations - that involved digging lots of trenches in Germany.” quote by Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg) > “When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, so all of the '80s, I was engaged in what could be classed as conventional operations - that involved digging lots of trenches in Germany.” [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes personal experience of Cold War-era military duties focused on conventional ground warfare in Europe. **In simple terms:** Cold War military service Key Takeaway Cold War conventional ops Themes Cold War Military history Conventional warfare Geopolitics Europe Mood Reflective Nostalgic Type Personal anecdote Historical observation When to use this quote - Historical analysis - Veteran interviews - Military education - Strategic studies Key Concepts Trench warfare Soviet threat Army training Practical Applications - Teaching Cold War tactics - Illustrating veteran perspectives Questions to Reflect On - How did Cold War tensions shape daily military life? - What lessons do conventional operations offer today? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Eastern europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eastern-europe/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) [Trenches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trenches/) ## Related quotes > [Like apples in a barrel infected by one rotten one, the corruption of Greece would infect Iran and all to the east. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-jindal/we-will-stop-iran-from-becoming-a-nuclear-power-we-will-stop-that/) [Bobby Jindal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-jindal/) > [I have not the slightest doubt that the economic measures and the Socialist measures which one will find in countries of Eastern Europe, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callaghan/i-have-not-the-slightest-doubt-that-the-economic-measures-and-the/) [James Callaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callaghan/) > [ EU didn't advance our \[Eastern Europe\] democracy by a single millimeter. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/eu-didn-t-advance-our-eastern-europe-democracy-by-a-single-millimeter/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [Luckily I was not born in Eastern Europe, because I might have been born into the communist establishment and I'm glad I was not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amira-hass/luckily-i-was-not-born-in-eastern-europe-because-i-might-have-been/) [Amira Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amira-hass/) > [We should never forget that Hollywood was built by Europeans, and the old Jewish boys from Eastern Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximilian-schell/we-should-never-forget-that-hollywood-was-built-by-europeans-and-the/) [Maximilian Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximilian-schell/) > [Both of my parents were first-generation Americans, the children of Jews who left Eastern Europe around the turn of the century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-robert-horvitz/both-of-my-parents-were-first-generation-americans-the-children-of/) [H. Robert Horvitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-robert-horvitz/) > [Italy spills over to everything. Italy is a huge banking system. It has been the major banking system in Eastern Europe. It's worked with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/italy-spills-over-to-everything-italy-is-a-huge-banking-system-it-has/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [From its earliest days in the nineteenth century, and until the Holocaust, the Orthodox rabbinate in eastern Europe was not enthusiastic about the Zionist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/from-its-earliest-days-in-the-nineteenth-century-and-until-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [“It was in Cleveland that Magic Slim became the most successful pornographic film producer in America. His training center was a key link in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hahn/it-was-in-cleveland-that-magic-slim-became-the-most-successful/) [Nick Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hahn/) > [I'm a historian by training and by conviction. And so the thing that has throughout informed my thinking about international relations is history. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/i-m-a-historian-by-training-and-by-conviction-and-so-the-thing-that/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [For people familiar with Eastern Europe, Marci Shore's 'The Taste of Ashes' is, in spite of its subject matter, delicious. A professor at Yale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/for-people-familiar-with-eastern-europe-marci-shore-s-the-taste-of/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) ## More by Dick Strawbridge > [I left the Army in 2000 and went into industry before I started appearing on TV in 2003. My best job there was on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-left-the-army-in-2000-and-went-into-industry-before-i-started/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I had an idyllic childhood with the freedom to go and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-had-an-idyllic-childhood-with-the-freedom-to-go-and-play/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I love the whole idea of family and what gets left behind when you are gone. I'm very proud of my children; I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-love-the-whole-idea-of-family-and-what-gets-left-behind-when-you/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [For me, London seemed to be frantic without going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/for-me-london-seemed-to-be-frantic-without-going-anywhere/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [Who doesn't like playing with a railway? I think we've all got Thomas the Tank Engine in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/who-doesn-t-like-playing-with-a-railway-i-think-we-ve-all-got-thomas/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I was still a serving officer when I competed in 'Scrapheap Challenge,' initially as a major and then a lieutenant-colonel when I was joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-was-still-a-serving-officer-when-i-competed-in-scrapheap-challenge/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I'm a very simple person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-m-a-very-simple-person/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [When I started presenting 'Scrapheap Challenge,' I was rubbish at tuning V8 engines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-started-presenting-scrapheap-challenge-i-was-rubbish-at-tuning/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I was captain of the rugby side at Shrivenham - as were my two brothers after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-was-captain-of-the-rugby-side-at-shrivenham-as-were-my-two-brothers/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I could never work out how to shave my top lip without cutting myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-could-never-work-out-how-to-shave-my-top-lip-without-cutting-myself/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [For a nation that spends a lot of time talking about the weather, we don't seem to realise just how much sunshine we actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/for-a-nation-that-spends-a-lot-of-time-talking-about-the-weather-we/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I passed the 11-plus and went up to the senior school, where my two older sisters had already gone. I was in the 'A'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/i-passed-the-11-plus-and-went-up-to-the-senior-school-where-my-two/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [Life is all about energy and passion and living it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/life-is-all-about-energy-and-passion-and-living-it/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [When you work with people, you buy into it, you work together and you pull together. It doesn't matter what your challenge is: there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-you-work-with-people-you-buy-into-it-you-work-together-and-you/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [For over 20 years, I was in the Army, and it's given me a real love of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/for-over-20-years-i-was-in-the-army-and-it-s-given-me-a-real-love-of/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) [Explore all 34 Dick Strawbridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, so all of the '80s, I was engaged in what could be classed as conventional operations - that involved digging lots of trenches in Germany.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dick Strawbridge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-there-was-a-real-threat-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-there-was-a-real-threat-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c9/dick-strawbridge-18810_army_when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-t_50825.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union…” — Dick Strawbridge", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dick Strawbridge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I joined the Army in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-there-was-a-real-threat-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-there-was-a-real-threat-from/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```