An Army is a collection of armed men obliged to obey one man. Every change in the rules which impairs the principle weakens the army.
William Tecumseh ShermanRead
I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.
Interpretation
What this quote means
War is a destructive and painful experience, often glorified by those who do not experience its horrors.
In this quote, William Tecumseh Sherman expresses his deep disdain for war, emphasizing that its supposed glory is an illusion. He points out that those who glorify war often do so from a distance, having never faced the true horrors of battle, including the suffering and death that accompany it. He concludes with the stark reminder that war is fundamentally a hellish experience, devoid of any noble attributes.
Themes
WarViolenceSufferingHellDestructionGloryPeace
In practice
Example use cases
A powerful statement during a peace rally to emphasize the futility of war.
More from William Tecumseh Sherman
All quotes βEvery attempt to make war easy and safe will result in humiliation and disaster.
William Tecumseh ShermanRead
I think I understand what military fame is; to be killed on the field of battle and have your name misspelled in the newspapers.
William Tecumseh ShermanRead
The young bloods of the South: sons of planters, lawyers about towns, good billiard-players and sportsmen, men who never did any work and never will... They are splendid riders, first-rate shots and utterly reckless. These men must all be killed or employed by us before we can hope for peace.
William Tecumseh ShermanRead
You people of the South don't know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization! You people speak so lightly of war; you don't know what you're talking about.
William Tecumseh ShermanRead
War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers.
William Tecumseh ShermanRead
Similar quotes
If the weather is too cold or rainy, I take shelter in the Regence Cafe, where I entertain myself by watching chess being played. Paris is the world center, and this cafe is the Paris centre for the finest skill at this game.
Denis DiderotRead
In order to acquire anything in the physical universe, you have to relinquish your attachment to it. This doesn't mean you give up your intention to create your desire...and you don't give up the desire. You give up your attachment to the result.
Deepak ChopraRead
A Conspiracy of silence speaks louder than words.
John LennonRead
O, here Will I set up my everlasting rest, And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss A dateless bargain to engrossing death!
William ShakespeareRead
Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for _x000D_ others, no place for the poor.
Pope FrancisRead
Civilization is first of all a moral thing. Without truth, respect for duty, love of neighbor, and virtue, everything is destroyed. The morality of a society is alone the basis of civilization.
Henri Frederic AmielRead