QuoteProject
War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision. In war there is no substitute for victory.
Douglas Macarthur
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Victory in war is the ultimate goal, and prolonged indecision can lead to failure.

This quote by Douglas MacArthur emphasizes the importance of decisiveness in warfare. It asserts that the end goal of war is to achieve victory, and that lingering in uncertainty can undermine success. MacArthur suggests that hesitation will not lead to positive outcomes, and that clear and bold actions are necessary to secure triumph.

Themes

VictoryWarDecisivenessSuccessStrategy

In practice

Example use cases

In a military briefing to emphasize the need for clear objectives.

More from Douglas Macarthur

I believe that the entire effort of modern society should be concentrated on the endeavor to outlaw war as a method of the solution of problems between nations.
Douglas MacarthurRead
In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield.
Douglas MacarthurRead
Worry, doubt, fear and despair are the enemies which slowly bring us down to the ground and turn us to dust before we die.
Douglas MacarthurRead
We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction.
Douglas MacarthurRead
A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.
Douglas MacarthurRead
No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.
Douglas MacarthurRead

Similar quotes

A word does not frighten the man who, in acting feels no fear.
SophoclesRead
Few are born bold. Even Napoleon had to cultivate the habit on the battlefield, where he knew it was a matter of life and death. In social settings he was awkward and timid, but he overcame this and practice boldness in every part of his life because he saw its tremendous power, how it could literally enlarge a man(even one who, like Napoleon, was in fact conspicuously small).
Robert GreeneRead
You cannot be afraid to speak up and speak out for what you believe. You have to have courage, raw courage.
John LewisRead
Continuously, we have to fight to defeat the primitive tendency towards the glorification of arms, the adulation of force, born of the illusion that injustice can be perpetuated by the capacity to kill, or that disputes are necessarily best resolved by resort to violent means.
Nelson MandelaRead
Old breed? New breed? There's not a damn bit of difference so long as it's the Marine breed.
Chesty PullerRead
I landed in New Jersey, where I could barely speak English, and I had to figure out what a short brown kid was going to do in this big white world.
Maria RessaRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.