Theodore Roosevelt Quotes
Don’t hit until you have to, but when you do hit, hit hard.
Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919, 26th President of the United States (Republican, NY), Favorite Maxim and advice he often gave other politicians, Quoted in Wellman, American Monthly Review of Reviews, November 1902
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
This appears to be the first American utterance of a longstanding doctrine of foreign policy.
Many radicals of the day argued that violence was a legitimate form of protest and self defense. Goldman urged then not to advocate violence because under the then existing law and practical considerations, that gave the law enforcement authorities the tools to persecute the dissidents.
The United States was a new, militarily weak country. Many of its leaders believed that even if our interests were attacked or some citizens abused, it was not worth the United States going to war unless the attack were existential—threatened the very existence of the country. The split was clear during the War of 1812 where in general, New England was opposed to war with Britain, the Atlantic states were not firm on either side, and the South and West (Kentucky was then the West) were the war hawks. Mrs. Madison was a hawk—an unusual expression for a woman and her role as First Lady did not inhibit her from her own independent political opinions. On the War of 1812, Mr. Madison was in favor of war, but was not so unequovical and positive as his wife was.
Theodore Roosevelt Jr., often referred to as Teddy or his initials T. R., was an American statesman, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer, who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He previously served as 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900 and the 25th vice president of the United States from March to September 1901. Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for anti-trust and Progressive policies.
