The military value of a partisan's work is not measured by the amount of property destroyed, or the number of men killed or captured, but by the number [of the enemy which] he keeps watching [him].
John S. MosbyRead
War loses a great deal of its romance after a soldier has seen his first battle.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The idealism of war fades once one experiences its true brutality.
This quote highlights the stark contrast between the romanticized notion of war and the harsh realities faced by soldiers. Initially, individuals may view war as an adventurous or noble endeavor, but witnessing combat transforms that perception, revealing the chaos and suffering involved, which often leads to a loss of enthusiasm for such ideals.
Themes
WarBattleRomanceRealitySoldier
In practice
Example use cases
During a memorial speech, one might use this quote to illustrate the psychological impacts of combat.
More from John S. Mosby
All quotes βSimilar quotes
Air Power is, above all, a psychological weapon - and only short-sighted soldiers, too battle-minded, underrate the importance of psychological factors in war.
B. H. Liddell HartRead
War's dirty little secret is that some men love it.
Kathryn BigelowRead
If men make war in slavish observance of rules, they will fail. No rules will apply to conditions of war as different as those which exist in Europe and America...War is progressive, because all the instruments and elements of war are progressive.
Ulysses S. GrantRead
I know that war is very cruel and that life is harder when you aren't able to live in the place you called home.
Madeleine AlbrightRead
You can't have this kind of war. There just aren't enough bulldozers to scrape the bodies off the streets.
Dwight D. EisenhowerRead
Sometimes, in the trenches, you get the sense of something, ancient. One trench we held, it had skulls in the side, embedded, like mushrooms. It was actually easier to believe they were men from Marlborough's army, than to think they'd been alive a year ago. It was as if all the other wars had distilled themselves into this war, and that made it something you almost can't challenge. It's like a very deep voice, saying; 'Run along, little man, be glad you've survived
Pat BarkerRead