War Quotes (17)

War is the trade of kings. JOHN DRYDEN, King Arthur

All war represents a failure of diplomacy. TONY BENN, speech, Feb. 28, 1991

I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its stupidity. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, speech, Jan. 10, 1946

There never was a good war, or a bad peace. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Poor Richard's Almanac

As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular. OSCAR WILDE, The Critic as Artist

If you think of humanity as one large body, then war is like suicide, or at best, self mutilation. JEROME P. CRABB, War Quotes and Quibbles

Accursed be he that first invented war. CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE, Tamburlaine the Great

I think a curse should rest on me — because I love this war. I know it's smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment — and yet — I can't help it — I enjoy every second of it. WINSTON CHURCHILL, letter to a friend, 1916

War makes rattling good history; but Peace is poor reading. THOMAS HARDY, The Dynasts

Vietnam was the first war ever fought without any censorship. Without censorship, things can get terribly confused in the public mind. WILLIAM WESTMORELAND, Time magazine, Apr. 5, 1982

When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die. JEAN-PAUL SARTRE, The Devil and the Good Lord

War is like love, it always finds a way. BERTOLT BRECHT, Mother Courage and Her Children

In order for us human beings to commit ourselves personally to the inhumanity of war, we find it necessary first to dehumanize our opponents, which is in itself a violation of the beliefs of all religions. Once we characterize our adversaries as beyond the scope of God's mercy and grace, their lives lose all value. We deny personal responsibility when we plant landmines and, days or years later, a stranger to us — often a child – is crippled or killed. From a great distance, we launch bombs or missiles with almost total impunity, and never want to know the number or identity of the victims. JIMMY CARTER, Nobel Lecture, Dec. 10, 2002

War ... it paid well and liberated children from the pernicious influence of their parents. JOSEPH HELLER, Catch-22

The second best thing about space travel is that the distances involved make war very difficult, usually impractical, and almost always unnecessary. This is probably a loss for most people, since war is our race's most popular diversion, one which gives purpose and color to dull and stupid lives. But it is a great boon to the intelligent man who fights only when he must—never for sport. ROBERT A. HEINLEIN, Time Enough For Love

You can't say civilization don't advance ... in every war they kill you in a new way. WILL ROGERS, New York Times, Dec. 23, 1929

In time of war, when truth is so precious, it must be attended by a bodyguard of lies. WINSTON CHURCHILL (This is an example is a sick politician.)

In war, truth is the first casualty. AESCHYLUS

It's funny how those who are most pro-war are almost always the guys who never had to fight in one. JEROME P. CRABB, War Quotes and Quibbles

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World of Wars

A War Prayer by Mark Twain. Preachers, profiteers and politicians make war appear to be glorious. This is the text of Mark Twain's powerful illustration and a link to a youtube video version.

War: Who is responsible? by Lawrence M. Vance. Points out that the American government has created a mindset that when a person puts on a military uniform, they are no longer responsible for their actions on the killing fields. This is wrong.

War is a Racket by Major General Smedley Darlington Butler

The pioneers of a warless world are the youth that refuse military service. - Albert Einstein.

The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations. David Friedman

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." -MATTHEW 5:9

Neither shall they learn war any more. Jewish and Christian Bibles, Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3

Perhaps the world's largest collection of war, anti-war quotes:

Perhaps the world's largest war antiwar quotes

See also Power, Justice and Mercy Quotes