War Sayings and Quotes

War isn’t pretty. It’s filled with turmoil, death and sadness. It’s no surprise that those who have experienced these horrors up close are slow to endorse the use of armed conflict as a solution to a nation’s problems. Below you’ll find a collection of wise and insightful quotes about war.

If men make war in slavish obedience to rules, they will fail. Ulysses S. Grant
Look at an infantryman's eyes and you can tell how much war he has seen. William Alexander Henry
War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed. William McKinley
War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers. William Tecumseh Sherman
Was is the remedy that our enemy has chosen, and I say let us give them all they want. William Tecumseh Sherman
War - An act of violence whose object is to constrain the enemy, to accomplish our will. Geroge Washington
War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason. James Madison
War should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose tolls and pleasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruit. James Madison
War is the business of the barbarians. Napolean Bonaparte
War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over. William Tecumseh Sherman
The most disadvantageous peace is better than the most just war. Desiderius Erasmus
War is sweet to those who have not experienced it. Desiderius Erasmus
You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake. Jeannette Rankin
In war there is no second prize for the runner-up. Momar Bradley
War does not determine who is right--only who is left. Bertrand Russell
The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it. George Orwell
Modern war is the most highly developed of all sciences. We have perfected our weapons but failed to perfect the men who use them. Billy Graham
We must be honest and open about both sides of war. The more aware we are of war's costs, not just in death and dollars, but also in shattered minds, souls, and families, the less likely we will be to waste our most precious asset and our best weapon: our young. Karl Marlantes