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 →Every 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
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