Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

A Man of the People

A young poet sat by a Paris window, watching the people below, and asking himself the dangerous questions for the time in which he lived. And then he wrote them.

He was a French celebrity at a time when wealth determined freedom. He had a bright future as one of France's greatest writers. The political landscape of France was changing, and the young man was put to use by the then-president Napoleon Bonaparte. One day, he was sent out among the people to plead the king's case to an angry group of poor protesters. He reasoned that France's president should instead be a king. But the people shouted him down.

The poet found he had no sway with the common man, and it affected his work. Around this time, he quit working on his novel. It seemed that he couldn't answer the question that he himself posed on page one, now a decade earlier.

The famous poet couldn't conjure enough passion for the oppressed. Napoleon Bonaparte continued to gain strength, and our poet, the now official state poet, became a celebrity endorser of sorts. One day he made his request of his powerful friend. He asked for a free press.

The request was rejected, and the poet realized something was wrong. That to speak would condemn him, but to remain silent would damn him.

He split from Napoleon Bonaparte and joined the people against the monarchy. Shortly after, Bonaparte led a coup d'etat and became the all-powerful king of France, known as Napolean III.

Overnight, the poet became an enemy of France and fled for his life. During his exile, his family fell apart, his daughter drowned, another ran away, his son was losing his sanity, and his wife left him.

Now, two decades had past since he started his novel, and the poet returned to that old manuscript. He returned to the question on page one that he had written as a bourgeoisie, looking down at the people.

Is that which is said of a man as important as the man's actual deeds? This time, the answers flowed. His empathy for both the rich and the poor, sinner and the saint, poured itself into the page.

A year later, the huge manuscript was finished, the poet, Victor Hugo, called it "Les Miserables."

The critics hated it, but it stirred the people. It was officially banned in France, yet everyone fought for their own secret copy. Publishers were scared of it. But Hugo urged them on, writing, "Certain men, certain castes rise in revolt against this book. I understand that. Mirrors, those revealers of truth are hated. That does not prevent them from being of use."

Napolean III died, and after nearly 20 years in exile, Victor Hugo returned to France. There he lived the rest of his days as a national icon. Hugo's funeral was one of the largest in French history. Over 2 million people lined the streets. He asked in his will to be buried in a pauper's coffin. And he was, in a little wooden box in the pantheon.

And so, courage, boys. For the wretched of this earth, there is a flame that never dies. Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

No Means No

Even before God's finger had finished scratching the seventh commandment on the tablets at Sinai, it was a death sentence for Thomas. Not that Thomas had a problem with adultery. No, he was loyal to his wife Jane and then to Alice when Jane died. Loyal with his whole soul. But it was the company that he kept that would eventually put his head on the chopping block. You see, Thomas was brilliant, respected for his integrity. So naturally, or unnaturally as the times would have it, he found favor with the king.

Thomas became a personal adviser and secretary to King Henry VIII. King Henry VIII wanted a son, a man to inherit the crown upon his death. And the king was married to Katherine, and he had given up hope that she could produce for him that son.

So the powerful king petitioned the pope for an annulment of the marriage. The pope said no. He petitioned again. And again. The pope said no.

Now, Thomas was committed to his faith and the pope. But as the king's personal adviser, he was also committed to the king. This made for an uncomfortable situation, especially when the king decided to break away from the Catholic Church and proclaim himself leader of God's Church in all of England.

Thomas asked the king to allow him to resign. The king now said no. But finally out of respect for his friend, relented.

The king sought approval from the people to start his own church and many just gave it. They all signed an oath to support Henry VIII as the new head of the Church of England. To sign the oath was to live, but others did not sign. The king had them put to death, all except for his former adviser, Thomas.

By the time Thomas left his post as the king's adviser, the king had surrounded himself with "yes" men, who would sanction all of his whims and stop at nothing to increase his power. These men knew that as long as Thomas did not endorse the king as the leader of the Church of England, there would be those that would follow him. They convinced the king to force Thomas' signature. But Thomas would not. He would not lend out his credibility. He would not lend out his name, not even for the king of England.

When Thomas didn't show up at the king's second wedding, he was arrested. But even in jail, in a dank cell, living with rats and filth, bearded and dirty, Thomas would not sign.

Thomas' dear children pled with him, but he didn't sign. He understood something that they did not yet, that even when threatened by the executioner's axe, he would not sign. And his death date was set.

On the day of his execution, he walked calmly to the chopping block, even joking with the executioner. "Please don't harm my beard," he said, "it did nothing wrong."

Thomas may have made some harsh decisions in his life, but he owned them. For better or for worse, he did his entire life what he thought was right.

At peace with his life, he was at peace with his death. And Thomas Moore was beheaded. But courage, boys. The man died with integrity. And with integrity, a man outlives his body.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

The Cosmonaut

Soviet mystique grew even more when they announced Sputnik 2 would be launched before the Americans could send Explorer 1 into space. Nikita Khrushchev promised they would launch within a month, just in time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution.

The kicker was that Sputnik 2 would be manned --- by a candidate chosen on the streets of Moscow. Teams of scientists had already begun their search, avoiding the usual suspects: universities, military, and the like, preferring a simple adventurer, a friend of the worker.

Research showed they would need someone who could deal with extreme cold, hunger and prolonged discomfort. This eliminated any candidates from among the privileged party elite and their sons.

In short order, ten candidates were identified and taken to live at the space training facility in Moscow. Scientists immediately took their vitals and ran them through a battery of tests. A clear favorite emerged that would be another coup for the Soviets. Not only would this first soul in space be a Soviet, the new hero would be a female. They called her Kudryavka or "Curly." She personified Soviet tenacity and grit, and her big brown eyes and wavy hair were a hit on Soviet television.

On November 3, 1957, Sputnik 2 was launched.

After the initial accelerated heart rate and a degree of tension, Curly responded well and had her first meal in space. But sadly, it was also her last meal. The Sputnik nose cone released as planned, but the internal thermal insulation ripped loose, causing temperatures to soar inside the capsule. The cabin overheated, and Curly died quickly.

The mission, while tragic, was not in vain. Curly's space odyssey showed the world that life could be supported during takeoff with maybe a few tweaks to the temperature control system. Other valuable research was also harvested from the failed mission, research that subsequently was used by the U.S. to put the first man on the moon.

To accomplish great feats, we often stand on the shoulders of giants, even little giants like Curly --- a dog.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Columbus' Secret

Not everybody in Europe liked Christopher Columbus. The year before his voyage across the Atlantic, he was nothing more than a poor geographer with a hunch --- and a strange confidence inspired by God. Upon his return, he was a hero.

Following his epic voyage, Columbus went directly to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who waited for him on their throne, outdoors under a golden canopy. Less than a year after setting sail as a nobody, the king and queen of Spain rose from their thrones to greet him. Motioning for Christopher to join them on their platform, on their level, he humbly obliged. The king and queen of Spain then knelt before him in unprecedented fashion. Columbus had become the most celebrated man in the world.

Sadly, great success often comes with a few enemies. When the king and queen honored Christopher at a feast, nobility and great men and women came together around one table. One guest, a man jealous of Columbus, asked him sneeringly, "Do you really believe that if you were not born, nobody would have discovered the Indies?"

Christopher Columbus was humble, and he was not afraid to let this man think what he would. Indeed, there were many great and brilliant men in Spain that could have made this voyage. At the same time, Christopher knew it was his calling, and he took pride in that.

So he said nothing, but took a fresh egg from a basket and handed it to the man. "Sir, would you please stand this on its end?" Columbus inquired.

The man tried for several minutes. Most at the table tried for a while then set the egg down without success.

Christopher Columbus lifted the egg again from the basket, tapped it gently on the table, barely denting the blunt end. He tipped it on that end and took his hand away. The egg stood on the table, to which the men replied, "I could have done that."

"Yes," Christopher Columbus replied. "You could have, but only after you had been shown."

He looked at the men and the women at the table again and said, "It was the Lord who put this journey into my mind."

And so it was. Christopher never spoke too highly of himself, nor did he speak too lowly. He was simply honest and inspiring.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Fuselage

Charles only slept one hour the night before his flight. When he woke up, he put on his lightest underwear and cut the extra padding out of his shoes. He ignored the papers. They all predicted failure. And when you considered the facts, it was a pretty fair prediction. New York to Paris is about 3600 miles, and most of it water. Thirty-three hours of flight, a single engine — and a prop plane at that.

The last two teams that tried this disappeared in the ocean with better planes and more men. Yet Charles got rid of his parachute, got rid of his radio, fuel gauges and lights. With over a ton of gas and no frills, his plane, called the Spirit of St. Louis, was a little more than a flying fuel tank and a teeny cockpit. It had one purpose: Get Charles Lindbergh across the Atlantic Ocean before anyone else could do it.

The wheels sloshed through the mud as Lindbergh tried to get his little plane up to speed. His wheels barely cleared the telephone lines. But Charles Lindbergh was airborne.

This didn't feel like the magic of flight that it used to, though. He sat on a hard seat with a stick between his legs and very little elbow room. He flew out of the states and north to Newfoundland where he would make a right turn out into the ocean.

Back in America, Yankee Stadium, at the Sharkey versus Maloney heavyweight championship fight, the announcer came over the loud speaker: I want you to rise to your feet and think about a boy up there tonight who is carrying the hopes of all true-blooded Americans. Tonight, say a little prayer for Charles Lindbergh.

The people bowed their heads as night fell somewhere over the Atlantic. The damp air was bitter cold and windy. Big white icebergs reflecting the moonlight were the only things he could see beneath him.

He was flying over terrain where ships had never even sailed. Then the fog came. Charles climbed and climbed, but he could not get over the fog. He couldn't see a thing. So he stared at his little compass needle, bouncing furiously, and trusted it for a couple of hours.

Finally, he broke the fog. Where, for the first time, in the smooth air, he met his biggest challenge. Charles Lindbergh hadn't slept in 39 hours. His eyes so desperately wanted to close. Charles opened the window, slapped his own face, even held his eyes open with his fingers, but it wasn't working. He became so weary that he wasn't sure if he was alive or dead. And that's when the voices started.

Charles looked over his shoulder, into the fuselage, where only a large gas tank had been. He saw people. They spoke to him. And for hours, he experienced elements of existence that he had never known before. Those "angels" kept him company until daybreak when Charles looked down to see green fields, farmers. He was in Ireland.

Charles flew six more hours to Paris, where he landed to an ocean of people and instant worldwide fame. Charles Lindbergh had proved the critics wrong. If we're all in, completely spent, and have drained ourselves of every available frill and resource, that perhaps is when God steps in.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

School Terror

1,100 people were inside a school in Beslan Russia, mostly kids. Their fathers had the school surrounded, aiming their hunting rifles into the windows. The dads were held back only by bombs attached to Chechen terrorists that were standing in the middle of their kids.

A thousand miles away in a Moscow airport, Anna pushed through the ticket line. She needed to get to Beslan fast. Aeroflot claimed the flight was full, but Ann knew that there was room. And she had a trump card. Her phone was watched closely by the Russian government. She was sure of it. She picked it up and called her editor at the paper.

"I need Maskhadov," she spoke loudly and clearly. "Get me Maskhadov." Maskhadov was a Chechen resistance fighter. She knew him from the days covering the Second Chechen War. Putin hated him.

She had a plan to broker a deal that just might save the kids. But she also knew that this would set off bells at the Kremlin and possibly get her on the plane.

It was worth a shot. And she was right. Within minutes, an executive from the airlines appeared and pulled her out of line. He put her on a shuttle to the plane.

In privacy, the shuttle driver leaned back to her, "The FSB told me to get you on this plane." The FSB is the new Russian version of the new Russian version of KGB. Putin's guys.

Less you think that the phone tap heard her plan to save the kids and was moved into action, you should have some background.

Putin hates the Chechens, but he hates Anna too. She was a Soviet diplomat's kid who grew up reading American newspapers, smuggled into the Soviet Union by her parents.

As an adult, she craved American-style free speech and journalism. When Putin became president of Russia, Anna decided to test the alleged freedoms of the new Russian system, and so she wrote a book that compared him to Stalin. It somehow or another wasn't published in Russian, but the world bought it.

When Anna bordered the plane, she sat across from three men and ordered tea. A little while after takeoff, her tea came. She drank it and then began sweating profusely, losing consciousness. When she awoke, she was in a hospital in Rostov, still hundreds of miles from Beslan.

"They tried to poison you," the nurse whispered in her ear. This was not the first attempt on her life. If only Anna would get on board with the government. Oh, if only she could once again live like a diplomat.

By the time Anna regained her strength, the school crisis was over. The state-friendly press reported that the fathers had opened fire and the terrorists had retaliated and then the military jumped in and saved them.

But Anna knew differently. It was Russian military action first. More than 300 dead. Most of them kids.

So with her throat still burning from the poison, Anna picked up her pen. She sent her story about Beslan to all of the world's major newspapers, and most of them published it. And at the end, she made a plea: We are hurling back into the Soviet abyss, she wrote. All we have left is the internet, where information is still freely available. For the rest, if you want to go on working as a journalist, it's total servitude to Putin. Otherwise, it could be death, the bullet, poison, or trial.

On October 7th, 2006, Putin's birthday, Anna was found dead in the elevator of her apartment building. She was shot in the head and chest four times. According to the Russian officials, the investigation is ongoing, but it's not so urgent.

So courage, boys. The truth may be scary, but never let the truth be silenced.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

The Pacifist

Alvin York, a reformed alcoholic and troublemaker was trying to read the Bible by candlelight in his family's dirt floor log cabin when his pastor came in to visit. His pastor, also the town postmaster, carried a suspicious letter addressed to Alvin.

Unaccustomed to receiving mail, Alvin hurried to open it. Together, they read.

Besides swearing off swearing, Alvin also didn't drink, dance, attend movies, or swim. Alvin was the perfect convert, you see.

He was also the sole financial support for his widowed mother and nine siblings. The year was 1917, and Selective Service Act had just been signed into law. The letter said that Alvin, 29 years old, must apply for the draft. It was signed, Woodrow Wilson.

“You can tell them no. We don't do war either, you know,” the postmaster, now acting as pastor said

Alvin answered: “Yes, sir. Can I borrow your pencil?”

He scribbled a sentence on his card, sealed it, and sent it back with a trusted friend.

Alvin's conscientious objection, all five words, didn't work. He was drafted, and reluctantly Alvin went to war.

And in a few months, he was in France. One day Alvin, a rank-and-file solider was lost in all of Company G. They found themselves behind German lines. And so far behind German lines, in fact, that they were behind Germans themselves. They were even behind some German machine gunners who were overlooking the valley from a great vantage point. The Germans were mowing down the Allied troops who were stuck in the valley like grass.

That's when the small company of Americans began to fire on the German machine gunners from behind. The Germans stopped firing towards the front and turned on little Company G, killing most of them quickly, leaving York, the conscientious objector, in charge of seven survivors.

“Guard the prisoners,” York yelled to the men. “I'm going up.”

He ran to a new position alone. Over 30 gunners sprayed the forest to try to hit Captain York, who was now shooting an end field model HEP 1917 rifle, one round at a time.

Between German flurries, he took one German out, then two, then three.

“Come down, or I'll keep shooting,” he called to the Germans.

He picked off the fourth, a fifth, a sixth.

“Stop shooting. I'll let you live. Just drop your weapon.”

It was quiet. And he had to reload.

Seeing this, six more German soldiers jumped out of a foxhole and charged with bayonets. He grabbed his Colt .45 automatic pistol from his belt. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. All six dead.

“I said, stop,” he yelled from his cover.

Shocked, the German regiment dropped their weapons. With their hands raised, they all surrendered to York and his men. The allied troops in the valley advanced safely. News of his heroism reached home before he did.

Upon his hero's return, Captain York lectured a little and met some important people. But he quickly returned to Tennessee to start a school for backwards kids. You see, York was a pacifist, as he explained in the five honest words that he wrote in his draft application: I don't want to fight.

And so, courage, boys. Sometimes you'll have to fight. And when you do, win.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Water Boy

General Kershaw sat in Mrs. Stevens' upper room. He puffed a cigar and sipped black coffee. There was a knock at the door and a young soldier entered.

“Sir,” came a young man's voice, followed by a hairless face to match.

The general was satisfied with yesterday's one-sided victory and had patience for a visit.

“What is it, Kirkland?”

“I can't do it, General,” he said, entering the room.

The general gazed out the window at the bodies laying in no-man's-land, between the lines of the Union and Confederate armies. There were over 8,000 enemy soldiers strewn across the ground. They were mostly dead, but many wounded, unable to get off the battlefield for enemy fire. The only gunfire that day was the occasional pop when a man tried to get up and limp off the field.

Men on both sides of the conflict were scared to be seen in the daylight hours.

Private Kirkland continued: “Sir, the men, I've listened to them cry out all night. I know they hate us, sir. And I know we hate them. But they are men, sir.”

“What are you proposing, Private?” he said, his patience growing short now.

“I'd like to bring water to the men, sir.”

“To the enemy?”

“Yes, sir. All of our men have been gathered.”

“I can't authorize that, Private. And you'll be shot the minute you clear the wall."

Private Kirkland had already considered this, and now the general was adding to his one hesitancy.

“I'm willing to take that chance,” Kirkland said quietly, as if hearing himself say it out loud for the first time.

The general took a long look at him: “I don't get it, son, but go ahead.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The private turned and left. General Kershaw listened to his boots thump down the stairs of the house. And then they stopped halfway. That's when the general smiled and laughed to himself.

He must have come to his senses, thought the general.

Private Kirkland came back up the stairs and opened the door.

“Sir.”

“Yes, Private.”

“Would you mind, sir, if I just waved this white handkerchief?”

“Private, you do not have authorization to do any such thing. There will be no truce flag waved on this battlefield,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir.” Private Kirkland left the house and marched back to his unit, perched up on the hill, where he gathered as many canteens and blankets as he could carry.

Then without any cover, he climbed over the fence. Soldiers on both sides tensed their weapons, waiting. Waiting.

“Please help,” a voice called out.

Kirkland approached a downed soldier who was crying out for water. He lifted the soldier's head and gave him water. Then he covered him with a blanket and propped his head up. No shots fired.

In fact, as Kirkland went from soldier to soldier, cheers from both sides rang out. It was a sight to behold: One red coat in the sea of blue.

The Battle of Fredericksburg was a victory for the South. You see, Kirkland fought for the Confederacy, the side opposite Lincoln. But even though the Union lost that day, the Angel of Mary's Heights, that's what they started calling Kirkland, made it a victory for America and a victory for all mankind.

And so, courage, boys. Look for the good men on both sides of a fight, then you'll be able to see the future.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Tank Man

Nobody really wanted to see what happened last night, but as people go, everybody was looking. And when the haze lifted from Tiananmen Square in Beijing, there were no answers. Only more questions.

Because last night, a revolution died in this spot. Thousands of unarmed students were crying out for a free press, human rights, and government transparency.

Now, men in uniform, hunkered down, scrubbing the students' blood from the pavement, removing any signs of yesterday's incident.

The papier-mâché Statue of Liberty that the Chinese students built in the middle of the square had been crushed and wiped from the streets. A division of Type 59 tanks, Soviet model, rumbled down the Avenue of Eternal Peace, patrolling Tiananmen Square.

Thousands of people stared vacantly from the sidewalk, careful not to talk, not to make eye contact with anyone, or be noticed by an official.

Among those people, we find a hero. Not a physical specimen. In fact, he seemed to just blend in with everyone else. Blend in, that is, until he stepped forward. Out, into the street.

Alone.

And in front of a rumbling tank. Humbly, he stood in front of the lead tank, the tank that didn't stop. And a man that didn't move.

He flung his right arm. His eyes said, "Turn back because I'm not leaving."

The army's orders from two days earlier still stood: Clear the square at all costs. Evidence of that cost was still splattered all over the pavement.

He was likely unaware that CNN and at least four still photographers were discreetly filming from hotel balconies above the street.

Epic imagery: A single skinny man squaring off against an army, a nation, a system of oppression. The tank kept rolling. 15 feet. 10 feet. About 5 feet from the man, the tank finally stopped. The line of tanks behind it forced to stop as well.

It maneuvered to its right to go around the man. But the man stepped sideways to block it. He never once stepped backward.

The tank stopped and redirected itself forward. It was coming toward the man. Again, 5 feet, 4 feet, 3 feet. At about 2 feet, the tank stopped and turned off its engine.

Our man then climbed on top of the tank. He spoke to the gunner who was on top.

He then banged on the hatch. The driver opened. Poked his head out. And spoke for a moment.

Nobody knows what was said. The man climbed down off the tank and the tanks restarted their engines. It appeared as though the man would return to the sidewalk. But no.

He pivoted and stepped right back in front of the tank. Our man would not yield.

Finally, a small group from the sidewalk walked out, grabbed the man, and walked to the other side of the street, where he disappeared.

Nobody knows his name. Press, governments, human rights agencies have all tried and failed to find this tank man. His image covered the front page of newspapers internationally by the very next week.

Later that fall, as Germans and Russians took hammers to the Berlin Wall, they talked about the tank man. People all over the world recognized the image of the tank man. All the world, that is, except for China.

You see, in China, Google allows the pictures and any words about the tank man to be censored. The tank man himself has disappeared as well. Nobody knows if he's dead or alive. But by stepping off the sidewalk that June 5th morning, he assured his immortality.

And so, Courage Boys. Because nobody has ever changed the world by staying on the sidewalk.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Quaker Scientist

At the beginning of World War I, which Germans dubbed "the Science War," the English named Arthur Eddington, a Quaker, the chief astronomer at Cambridge University.

When the Royal Academy of Sciences asked him to research a young Swiss scientist in Berlin named Albert Einstein, Eddington pulled out everything they had on him --- one small booklet. Eddington was confounded by what he saw.

Hurrying back to the other professors, the Quaker scientist reported that Einstein was developing a theory called "relativity," proposing his own theory of gravitation and challenging Newton's theory.

"Whom has he cited, and whom has he credited," asked one of the professors.

"Nobody, sir," Eddington said. "Nobody at all. There's not a single footnote."

The professors dismissed the news of Einstein's research.

That night, Eddington secretly wrote to Albert Einstein. With the war escalating, English scientists were beginning to cease communication with their German colleagues. However, as a Quaker, Eddington didn't claim to be at war with anyone, so he wrote to Einstein.

Within weeks, Einstein, also against the war, kindly responded. He shared new developments to his theory, and relativity began to make sense to Eddington. He wrote back with more questions. As the best measurement man in all of Europe, Eddington was beginning to believe Einstein and hoped the two could meet.

And then it happened --- April 22nd, 1915 --- Germany attacked with gas, killing 17,000. One of those killed was the son of Eddington's Cambridge colleague, Oliver Lodge.

A meeting was called and it was proposed that all communications with the German scientists end. Putting his career and reputation on the line, Eddington objected. The room erupted. Eddington's integrity, patriotism and academic credentials were all questioned, and the motion to cease all contact passed in spite of his objection.

Nevertheless, he continued to sneak letters to Einstein.

When the war ended, Eddington approached the board, requesting a grant for a proof of Einstein's theory. They bristled at the thought of spending Cambridge money to prove Newton wrong by a German. Prepared for just such a reaction, Eddington stated it was their chance to prove Newton was right --- and it worked.

Eddington and his team carried out the experiment with cameras and telescopes, under a completely solar eclipse in Principia, Africa. If starlight bent toward the sun during the eclipse, Einstein was right. If not, Newton was right.

Returning to England with the undeveloped film, Eddington revealed the results to himself, the international press and hundreds of onlookers all at the same. Leaning into the light box to view the film, he gasped at what he saw --- he knew he was looking at history. The photographs showed the light bending, proving Einstein's theory to be correct.

Einstein won the Nobel Prize the very next year, and he was invited to visit Cambridge University in England.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Brought to you by Betterment.

Guinea Pig

No one really understood how passionate Dr. Henry Head was about his questions. They were simple questions, really, but they begged for answers that most people couldn't capably give.

The same scenario kept repeating itself in his office: A recovering patient would sit on his examination table with a limb exposed while the doctor would prod, poke and tickle the affected spot. Asking to describe what they felt, the most he would get was, "a little pressure." It seemed no one could accurately describe the sensation in a way Dr. Head could understand.

In 1903, science already knew that nerves could regenerate, but how fast? And what came back first? Could regeneration be aided? If so, how?

These questions burned in the doctor's mind. Even if he did succeed in finding an unusually eloquent patient, one willing to be a guinea pig, monitoring his progress in realtime over months and years would be next to impossible.

They needed a volunteer. And so the search began for one that would agree to be severed, sewn up, poked and prodded for the next few years. Unsurprisingly, the search proved futile, and the doctors involved considered moving on, letting the research sit still.

Before giving up, a volunteer stepped forward who let them sever the nerves in his left forearm. For the next four years, every miniscule change was recorded and science moved forward. Dr. Head was lauded for the experiment and his breakthroughs.

Sadly, Parkinson's Disease began to take away his speech. Ever the scientist, Dr. Head documented his battle and gave insight as his physical capabilities failed him, leaving only a keen mind.

As he wrote, he thought of the value of that one volunteer who had stepped forward --- it was nearly impossible to forget him. You see, Dr. Head was the one to go first when there was no volunteer for his experiment. He put himself under the knife to find out what was on the other side of pain, earning firsthand answers of which he was 100 percent certain --- and no one could refute.

Courage Boys features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing. These are the stories of ordinary people making the decision to be extraordinary with bravery, resilience and principle. This is Courage Boys.

Brought to you by Betterment.

The Babe

It was the 1932 World Series at Wrigley Field, Cubs versus the Yankees. Babe Ruth sat in the visitor's dugout and waited for another bat. With a homer in the first, he was already one for one.

Emerging from the dugout to a chorus of profanity and boos, Babe crowded the plate and eyeballed Charlie Root, the winningest pitcher in Cubs' history.

Two strikes down, Ruth took his right hand off the bat and held up two fingers to the Cubs' bench. Then with the same hand, pointed straight at center field. He yelled something at the pitcher and leaned back in over the plate.

Smack! The Babe hit another home run.

Rounding third, he smiled at Lou Gehrig, who then took the plate and knocked the very next pitch out of the park.

There are those that debate Ruth's intent with the pointed finger. Was he pointing at the pitcher or the out field? Was he really calling the shot? We may never know what Ruth was really thinking. But he had a history with promises.

You see, six years earlier, Babe told Johnny Sylvester, a dying 10-year-old, "I'll knock one home for you on Wednesday." And he did, on Wednesday, game four of the Cardinals versus Yankees series of 1926. He sent Johnny the ball.

So while a film from 1932 might be a bit blurry, the fact remains that since Ruth's fifth inning homer, children all around the globe have been pointing to the fences and calling their shots.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Wearing Armor

Imagine the look on French soldiers' faces when their new general rode into camp — and he turned out to be a 12-year-old girl. Her armor perfectly fit her little body. Her name was Joan.

The soldiers gathered and listened because the prince had said so — and they were about to lose the war. A little girl that claimed a visit from angels seemed as logical as anything else they'd tried.

Speaking to them from horseback, young Joan urged the soldiers to turn to the Lord. She also ordered away the women of the street who gave comfort to the men after battle. "They must go," she said. She then led the men to confession.

Under Joan's leadership, the army quickly gained power and men, too. All the men loved their little shepherdess. She always rode in front to battle and never carried a weapon. Eventually, her army broke the English back. All was well, and she was about to return home to her mom and dad.

But then, the English captured Joan, who was a now a teenager. They put her in a men's prison under the care of the most vile guards. The guards in prison tried to take from her, the one thing that she held dearest: Her virtue and her innocence. Now Joan would fight violently, alone, with her perfectly fit armor protecting her.

Finally, she was taken to stand trial, overseen by the church. They tried to charge her with heresy. After all, she had claimed to see angels. But even with a corrupt court, the prosecutor couldn't get her convicted of heresy. So they finally convicted her of breaking a law that she had indeed broken: Cross-dressing, dressing like a boy, which was also heresy.

She dressed like a boy to protect her body not from arrows or rocks, but from the evil men. The court decreed that to avoid death, she must change to a dress. And so she did. In a dress, they threw her back in the same prison. Again, they tried to violate young Joan and she fought them off. After several unsuccessful attempts and attacks, they threw her armor back into her cell. She put it on, not realizing what that meant.

As if planned, the prosecutor entered the prison, accused her of disobeying the order of the court and the church. So they dragged her back into court with her armor where, this time, she was sentenced to death.

As they tied to Joan a stake to be burned, English guards began to shed tears, many begging it to stop. But, no man stood for her right to be virtuous, and she died in flames at the stake.

The English, so weakened by their guilt, were driven completely from the territory by France. Nearly 500 years later, during World War I, the Pope proclaimed her a saint — St. Joan of Arc. Her name and her virtue now live forever, and the men who did not honor it are long forgotten.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Charge!

He was a volunteer with no prior military experience. His wife and kids were back in America — and he came for action. He wanted to prove mettle, just like the generation before in the Civil War.

Over 23,000 men had applied to his unit, but only 1,000 were taken. They were called the Rough Riders by somebody in the press because most of them were cowboys, hunters, wilderness scouts and Indians. Confederates, even. But they also took a few Ivy Leaguers, including Harvard's own starting quarterback.

Now they were caught in the middle of crossfire in a valley with Americans on one side, the Spanish on the other. Bullets zipping overhead. The hills on either side were called Kettle and San Juan. The flinty cowboys and their steely-eyed Indians were already more than a little pissed off that their horses were left in Florida for lack of ships. They were now foot soldiers forced to run. Only their captain Teddy had a horse. It was both an asset and a liability to the man, as he was now the biggest target on the battlefield.

Roosevelt proclaimed himself next in command. He wasted no time and sent for orders from the general on another hill. He called to the regs and the volunteers and spurred his horse, firing his revolver as he rode in front of the volunteers. The regulars, not to be outdone, also charged.

Between the waves of Spanish fire, men hollered and cheered as they charged the hill. The Rough Riders were a sight to behold in their sombreros with blue polka dotted handkerchief tied around their necks.

Men were falling on all sides as they charged, but they never slowed down. American Gatling guns began to sound from the surrounding hills. Reinforcements had arrived. Inspired by the help, the Rough Riders pushed once more to take Kettle Hill. Spanish gunfire erupted from San Juan Hill, just across the little valley.

Without warning, Roosevelt, whose horse was taken out by now, took off on a sprint towards San Juan Hill, crying, "Charge!"

It was a turning point in the war and for America, as the sons of Confederates fought side by side with the sons of Union soldiers in a common cause. The men took San Juan Hill, and eventually won the Spanish-American War.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Death Sentence

During the Peloponnesian War, six admirals were accused of abandoning many of their men, leaving them to drown in the water. Back safely in Athens, the admirals stood trial together before a group of 50 men.

Their accuser urged those listening to find the admirals guilty, collectively, rather than trying them individually. The council of men loudly agreed.

As an afterthought, it was asked if any opposed. One man arose, and the crowd was silenced. The man's name was Socrates.

Socrates (469 - 399 BC) the Greek philosopher is forced to commit suicide in prison by drinking hemlock, surrounded by his grieving friends and followers, 399 BC. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Walking to the front, he asked, "Is Athens not a city of laws? If by simple majority our laws can be ignored, then what, when they turn on you? We desire justice, yes. But from our deepest desires often spring our dead list hate. These men may be guilty in breaking the laws of Athens, but will we be less guilty if we break the law to kill them, or should they be tried separately as the law demands?"

The accuser walked out, and lots were not cast that day, allowing the men to receive a fair trial.

Years later, after Athens lost the Peloponnesian War, the Spartan king hand-picked 30 Athenians to rule in Athens --- they were tyrants. They killed, exiled and robbed thousands, and the people drove them out after a year of terror. A few of the tyrants had been students of Socrates.

In the Athenian rage, they demanded justice from somebody. And many Athenians blamed Socrates since he had taught the young men. He was accused of corrupting the youth and teaching new gods. When they tried him before a court, he made his case --- but lost.

You see, he was guilty. He had taught the youth to question everything, including their government and their gods. Socrates was sentenced to death by poison, Hemlock, and he wanted to die in prison. When his good friend visited him with a way to escape, Socrates declined.

Resting his hand on his friend's shoulder, Socrates looked into his eyes. "What of our city?" he asked. "If the verdicts of her courts have no force, I die in confidence knowing that I am the wisest man alive for I know one thing. And that is, I know nothing."

And so, Socrates taught a valuable lesson: Let all be equal before the law, even when it is you.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Bronc Buster

There was no arena for a rodeo in San Ardo, California, but when they heard that Jesse Stahl was nearby, they planned a rodeo anyway.

The townsfolk parked in a circle, sat on the hoods of their cars and called it a rodeo. San Ardo was home to one of the nastiest bucking broncs around. As luck would have it, Jesse Stahl drew that bronc, and it screamed, whinnied, kicked, jumped and twisted when Stahl mounted him. Wrapped his long legs around the bronc, Stahl dug in his spurs, pulled the bronco's blinders off and told the snubbing crew, "Turn me loose."

In 1927, there were no eight-second rules. It was man versus beast. And the last one to quit won.

Photo credit: Marcell

After a few seconds when the hooves were thumping and the earth and the dust were flying, the spectators all hopped onto their cars for cover. Finally, the blank cartridge was fired into the air. The dust settled, and Stahl sat proudly on the broken bronc. Stahl had ridden him out. People emerged from their Hudson Super Sixes and their Pierce-Arrows to shake the cowboy's hands.

"Well, folks," he muttered humbly. "I'm a long ways from home. And broke. I had to make it a good ride."

Stahl collected his money and pats on the back before walking to his old Model T Ford. Jesse Stahl was the hero that day, but it wasn't always that way.

You see, Jesse Stahl was black. In the early 1900s, nearly one in six cowboys was black. Jesse learned to ride the tough ones early in the morning, while the white cowboys were eating their breakfast at the ranch.

Back then, there were more than a handful of white judges and cowboys that didn't want a black man collecting their prize money. One day, Jesse put on a show at another rodeo, and was the obvious winner. So when the judges gave him second place, the spectators erupted.

In response, Jesse found a rowdy bronc and mounted up, with a suitcase in his hands. The crowd roared. The suitcase had made his point: Treat me equally, or I'll hit the road. Oh, and he did hit the road, until the bronc gave up.

He hopped off the horse and left the crowd in a frenzy. Because in rodeo, an encore ride was a bit uncommon. Carrying a suitcase during it was even less common. But riding a bronc backward like Jesse Stahl did that day was something that nobody had ever seen.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Angel of the Battlefield

Florence Nightingale had everything Victorian riches could offer, but behind her porcelain skin and delicately pursed lips was a girl tortured. When she was 17 years old, God called Florence to ease the suffering of mankind. She was an unlikely candidate, given her privileged upbringing. Florence wanted to be a nurse. A menial job, her mother explained to her, meant for a lower class of women and even a lower set of morals. Young Florence's heart broke.

At 25 years of age, a suitable suitor finally arrived, to everyone's relief. Florence was in love, and her suitor met her in intellect and satisfied her passion. He asked for her hand in marriage. Florence faced a choice that very few are blessed to face. She ultimately rejected her love's proposal, and her disheartened parents finally relented and allowed her to study nursing in Germany.

In 1853, Europe was embroiled in the Crimean War, and Florence was commissioned to serve there. Her dreams were finally coming true.

The first day in the military hospital, the impeccably clean Florence stepped out of her carriage to the smell of death and worse. She trudged through an inch deep of human waste to examine a man with yellow pus festering from a gunshot wound. Most deaths were not from wounds, but from diseases contracted in the hospital where beds lay side by side for as far as the eye could see.

British nurse Florence Nightingale (1820 - 1910) makes her rounds in the Barrack hospital at Scutari, during the Crimean War, 24th February 1855. (Photo by Illustrated London News/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Appalled by the horrifying accommodations, Florence demanded to see the head doctor, an English doctor of renown. He brushed her aside repeatedly until she could no longer abide. Using her social status, Florence contacted a prominent newspaper writer who told the story of her hospital to all England. The nation was outraged.

She was quickly given control of the hospital --- and began to scrub. She scrubbed some of the most vile disease and waste from the floor of the hospital barracks, which was four miles in length. When she demanded more supplies from England, she received them.

Never tiring, Florence cleaned men, dressed their battle wounds and administered from bed to bed, speaking softly, like an angel. Carrying a lamp through the night to comfort the sleepless, her femininity, her grace, multiplied by her mission, grit and virtue, changed the social stigma attached to nurses. Florence gave the men hope to live --- and live they did. The death rate fell from 42 percent to 22 percent per thousand.

To those that feared death because of a life hard lived, Florence Nightingale said the real God is far more merciful than any human creature ever was or could ever imagine.

Enjoy this complimentary clip from The Glenn Beck Program:

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

Brought to you by Betterment.

Sniper Soft Spot

How do you defeat an army that has mastered psychological warfare to the point where they know exactly how to keep you from shooting your target? Even worse, how do you handle the guilt after following an order that takes the lives of innocent women and children?

For Jack Tueller, a 22-year-old pilot with a wife and a baby at home, music was the answer.

Captain Jack Tueller in 1943 in his P-47 fighter plane.

After executing just such an order, Jack returned to his base and, not being a drinker, reached for his trumpet to dull the pain. Worried that a German sniper hiding in the woods might hear him and shoot, Jack's commander ordered him to put down his instrument. But, Jack kept on, playing songs like Lili Marlene and Oh Danny Boy well into the night. You see, Jack figured those German soldiers felt just as lonely and homesick as he was.

The next day, a group of German soldiers captured overnight included the sniper --- who asked to see the trumpet player. The German sniper, a 19-year-old newly wed who had just danced with his new bride at to Lili Marlene, just hadn't been able bring himself to fire on the trumpeter.

For a moment, the bomber and the sniper were more than soldiers. They were both men.

Enjoy this complimentary clip from The Glenn Beck Program:

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

Brought to you by Betterment.

Pirate Who Saved

The son of a Protestant farmer, Francis Drake was the oldest of 12 children. When he was young, religious persecution drove the family from their farm, so Drake learned to sail and eventually sailed around the world.

To the English, Drake was a historic explorer. But to the Spanish, he was a pirate.

Upon intelligence that the Spanish planned to attack England and kill Queen Elizabeth --- the symbol of Protestant Reformation --- Drake developed a bold and risky counter attack. The Pope had promised full forgiveness for any crimes committed by the Catholic, Spanish soldiers in taking down of the queen.

4th April 1581, Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533 - 1603) knights explorer Sir Francis Drake (c.1540 - 1596) on board his ship, the Golden Hind at Deptford. Drake returned in September 1580 from his successful circumnavigation of the globe, bringing a shipload of spices. Engraved by F. Fraenkel from a drawing by Sir John Gilbert, RA. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

As an explorer, Drake was accustomed to dealing with the unknown, so the risk worried him little. Elizabeth's counselors and generals were not as certain and questioned the plan. But Drake, the queen's second in command, was the best on the water, and his hunches had proven good in the past.

In 1588, thirty-three years before the Mayflower would set sail with Pilgrims seeking religious freedom, Drake attacked the Spanish at sea in defense of religious freedom --- and won. The next king of England --- King James --- publish the King James version of the Bible, inspiring more Pilgrims and seekers for centuries to come.

Enjoy this complimentary clip from The Glenn Beck Program:

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Einstein

Just before World War I, the Germans offered Albert Einstein tenure and more money than he'd ever seen to come to Berlin. So, Einstein took a job at the university, eventually earning the Nobel Prize which was a turning point in his life --- now he was famous.

The world knew his face and trusted his science.

Albert Einstein

When Adolf Hitler took over Germany as chancellor, Einstein happened to be visiting the United States, and he decided to stay. Proudly antiwar and in America, Einstein took pen to paper, writing President Roosevelt about the potential evils of his own discoveries --- and the Manhattan Project was born.

Within four years, the United States had developed the world's first atomic bomb. Einstein wrestled for the rest of his days with the breakthrough science that had the power to save lives by taking lives.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

Brought to you by Betterment.

Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi, revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. His words of wisdom, along with practicing what he preached, set him apart.

Take, for instance, the story of a chubby young Indian boy with an insatiable sweet tooth.

Circa 1935: Indian spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The boy's mother trekked cross country with him to seek Gandhi’s wisdom and help. Unable to grant her first request, Gandhi asked the mother and her boy to return in two weeks. Finally, at the second meeting, Gandhi simply asked the boy to resist partaking of sweets.

Following a month of not touching a single sweet, the boy’s mother returned to Gandhi, asking how he was able to reach her son. Mahatma Gandhi led by example.

Courage Boys, a new segment on The Glenn Beck Program, features stories to inspire and leave you feeling hopeful. In this age of social media and unprecedented access and sharing, it’s easy to feel insignificant and under attack — like you can’t make a difference. But the truth is you can — we all can.

By sharing stories of courage and strength, we can use the technology at our fingertips to spread encouragement and confidence. Making a difference is not only possible, but something we’re all capable of accomplishing.

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Unlikely Allies

It was 1936 in the midst of Nazi German, and the venue --- the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games --- featured the epitome of Hitler’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed perfect human in long-jumper Luz Long --- and the polar opposite in African-American superstar Jesse Owens.

After struggling with his timing and qualifying efforts, Owen’s was questioning his abilities when Long, an unlikely new friend came to his aid.

Luz Long and Jesse Owens

Long suggested Owens follow his lead and jump from a towel he had laid down next to the track to know when to time his jump properly.

Owens watched Long set the Olympic record in the broad jump only to break it moments later. But it’s what happened after the event that demonstrated tremendous courage. Two Olympic athletes reached across the racial and political divides to embrace each other in an example for the ages.