“I went into the British Army believing that if you want peace you must prepare for war. I believe now that if you prepare thoroughly and efficiently for war, you get war.”

—  Frederick B. Maurice

Speaking in Carnegie Hall, New York City, on 4 April 1919.

Context: As a soldier who has spent a quarter of his life in the study of the science of arms, let me tell you I went into the British Army believing that if you want peace you must prepare for war. I believe now that if you prepare thoroughly and efficiently for war, you get war.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I went into the British Army believing that if you want peace you must prepare for war. I believe now that if you prep…" by Frederick B. Maurice?
Frederick B. Maurice photo
Frederick B. Maurice 2
British Army general and historian 1871–1951

Related quotes

Frederick B. Maurice photo

“As a soldier who has spent a quarter of his life in the study of the science of arms, let me tell you I went into the British Army believing that if you want peace you must prepare for war. I believe now that if you prepare thoroughly and efficiently for war, you get war.”

Frederick B. Maurice (1871–1951) British Army general and historian

Speaking in Carnegie Hall, New York City, on 4 April 1919.
[New York Times, 5 April 1919, 13, Maurice Criticises Peace Conferees, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B00E6DC1E3BEE3ABC4D53DFB2668382609EDE]

Sun Tzu photo

“In peace, prepare for war. In war, prepare for peace.”

Sun Tzu (-543–-495 BC) ancient Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher from the Zhou Dynasty

Sometimes erroneously prepended to the opening line "The art of war is of vital importance to the State", but appears to be a variation of the Roman motto "Si vis pacem, para bellum". It's not clear who first misattributed this phrase to Sun Tzu. The earliest appearance of the phrase in Google Books is 1920, when it appeared in a pharmaceutical journal, but no attribution was given then.
Misattributed

Robert Aumann photo

“It turns out that the Romans were champs in making peace. Their motto was that if you want to make peace, you need to prepare for war. They knew game theory.”

Robert Aumann (1930) Israeli-American mathematician

Quoted by Elad Benari in The Frantic Desire for Peace Only Brings War.
Source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140029#.VDs8U_ldUa4

Albert Einstein photo

“You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity
Alex Jones photo

“You want a war? You better believe you got one!”

Alex Jones (1974) American radio host, author, conspiracy theorist and filmmaker

"Alex Jones EPIC Anti-Globalist Rant" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHoc0FZG3OU, IncorporatedOps, February 13, 2017
2017

Tony Blair photo

“Lead me into war…you know I believe in you.”

Tony Blair (1953) former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/27/international/europe/27memo.html?_r=1 Meeting with George W. Bush on January 31, 2003.
2000s

Tad Williams photo

“If you have not noticed, we are preparing for war. I’m sorry if that inconveniences you.”

Tad Williams (1957) novelist

Source: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, The Dragonbone Chair (1988), Chapter 34, “Forgotten Swords” (p. 549).

Margaret Thatcher photo

“I believe in the British lion and I believe that the British character is lion-hearted, and I believe that it has not been lion-hearted in some of the post-War period, and I want it to get back to being lion hearted.”

Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British stateswoman and politician

Second term as Prime Minister
Source: Radio Interview for BBC Radio 3 (17 December 1985) http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/105934

Attila photo

“Before embarking on war or agreement, it is wise to consider all possibilities. Consider them thoroughly. Consider the consequences of your actions. Thus, you are prepared for the worst case.”

Attila (406–453) King of the Hunnic Empire

Turkish Wikipedia
https://quotestats.com/topic/attila-hun-quotes/

William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham photo

“The only way to have peace is to prepare for war.”

William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778) British politician

To the Duke of Newcastle (c. August 1758), quoted in Basil Williams, The Life of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. Volume I (London: Longmans, 1913), p. 379
1750s

Related topics