An apology offered and, equally important, received is a step towards reconciliation and, sometimes, recompense. Without that process, hurts can rankle and fester and erupt into their own hatreds and wrongdoings.
Margaret MacmillanRead
The Great War was nobody's fault - or everybody's.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that the causes of the Great War were either too complex to blame on a single party or were a collective failure of many.
Margaret Macmillan's quote reflects on the Great War, highlighting the intricate web of events, decisions, and failures from various countries that led to catastrophic outcomes. It emphasizes the idea that sometimes, in large-scale conflicts, accountability is diffused among many actors, making it difficult to pinpoint a single source of blame, suggesting a collective complicity in the tragedy that unfolded.
Themes
WarHistoryAccountabilityConflictFailure
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the complexities of international relations following major conflicts.
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War is a crucial, deeply ingrained part of human history. It has to be understood.
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There was that argument that if we had more women in positions of authority, the world would be a nicer place. And then we got Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Indira Gandhi. When women become acclimatised to war, they can become every bit as ruthless as men.
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Theodore Roosevelt's policy to build a two-ocean navy confirmed that the old-style isolationism of the founders had not survived the modern, increasingly globalized world.
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If we don't take responsibility for each other, it seems to me the future is going to be even bleaker.
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