war - quotes

Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), 65 BC-8 BC

was a Roman lyric poet & satirist

If you wish for peace, prepare for war.

George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair), 1903-1950

was an English essayist, novelist, and satirist

The quickest way to end a war is to lose it.

(Publius Flavius) Vegetius (Renatus)

is a writer of the Later Roman Empire

If you want peace, prepare for war.

David Gerrold (Jerrold David Friedman), 1944-

is an American science fiction author

The only winner in the War of 1812 was Tchaikovsky.

John (Ernst) Steinbeck, 1902-1968

was an US novelist

Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat. Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars.

( “The Moon Is Down”, 1942 )

George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair), 1903-1950

was an English essayist, novelist, and satirist

The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. Hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. This new version is the past and no different past can ever have existed. In principle the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects and its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or East Asia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.

John (Winston) Lennon, 1940-1980

was an English singer and songwriter

Lots of people who complained about us recieving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war — for killing people. We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more. Wouldn't you?

Aldous (Leonard) Huxley, 1894-1963

was an English critic and novelist

A country which proposes to make use of modern war as an instrument of policy must possess a highly centralized, all-powerful executive, hence the absurdity of talking about the defense of democracy by force of arms. A democracy which makes or effectively prepares for modern scientific war must necessarily cease to be democratic.

Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet), 1694-1778

was a French author, humanist, rationalist, and satirist

It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.

Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865

was a 16th president of US

The provision of the Constitution giving the war-making power to Congress was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This, our Convention understood to be the most oppressive of all Kingly oppressions; and they resolved to so frame the Constitution that no one man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us.

John (Ernst) Steinbeck, 1902-1968

was an US novelist

All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal.

( “Once There Was a War”, 1958 )

Thomas Thomas, 1588-1679

was an English political philosopher

Force, and fraud, are in war the two cardinal virtues.

Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919

was a 26th president of US

If there is not the war, you don't get the great general; if there is not a great occasion, you don't get a great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in a time of peace, no one would have known his name.

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

was an US (German-born) physicist

He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable patriotism, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

was an US (German-born) physicist

So long as there are men there will be wars.