Thin Red Line
Fragile defensive stand
The Thin Red Line refers to a military force holding a defensive position against overwhelming odds, originating from the 1854 Battle of Balaclava when a small British infantry line repelled Russian cavalry.
The phrase now applies broadly to any group standing between order and chaos: Police are the thin red line protecting society.
By analogy with "thin blue line" (police), thin red line sometimes refers specifically to firefighters.
- warfareArmed conflict between groups
- Crimean War1850s Russo-European conflict
- heroesAdmired courageous figures
- battle cryShout to rally fighters
- battleArmed military engagement
combat · infantry · British Army · allegory · fragility · precariousness · military · army · symbolism · courage · engagement · introspection · human condition · clash · Victorian era · conflict · World War II · Pacific Theater
Thin Red Lineshock and awe
Swift dominance through firepower
legion · horde · total war · armada · blitzkrieg
Thin Red Linedefense in depth
Redundant protective barriers throughout
stronghold · citadel · Maginot Line · bunker · secure perimeter
thin, thinner, thinnest, thinly, thinness, red, redden, reddish, redness