German joke from WW2: One day the Italian Field Marshal comes to see Rommel. He says, “Herr General, your men always fight so bravely, but mine always throw down their rifles and run away. What is your secret?”
Rommel says, “It is a very simple thing. Each day before battle, I call to my valet and I say, ‘Hans! Bring me my red cloak.’ As we ride into battle, I wrap the cloak around me and stand tall in my panzer. This way, if I am shot, the men cannot see my blood and they think we are invincible.”
The Italian Marshal thanks Rommel and promises to try his technique. The next morning he wakes up and calls to his valet, “Carlo! Bring me my brown trousers!”