Henry L. Stimson Quotes

What we have seen of recent American action in the Pacific, the bombing of Tokyo and the engagements in the Coral Sea, off Midway Island and at Dutch Harbour, has been sufficient indication that America is beginning to discharge her supremely important duty in the Pacific.

The year 1915 was one of meager results, the advantages remaining on the side of the Central Powers, with this understanding, however: The Allies were growing stronger because Great Britain was making rapid progress in marshaling her resources for war.

Victory or defeat in interstate war depends on numerous factors, but what is ultimately decisive is the relative amount of economic resources at a government's disposal.

The first bomb so far as our government knew had not had any impact on the Emperor or the Japanese war cabinet—nor did we have any other indication that their minds were changing with respect to the war.

It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons.

An absolute and unconditional defeat of Japan is the essential ingredient for a lasting peace in the Orient. Only complete military disaster and stinging defeat and colossal losses will prove to the people that the military machine is vincible and that their fanatical leadership has taken them the way to disaster.

We have killed ½ million Japs, and we have only faced ten percent of their army. They don’t give up. We have to fight the other ninety percent and they won’t give up.

Now we must smash Japan. We must carry the war to every part of her empire no matter how remote.

Before America entered the war [WW2] I knew we could not win it, but after she entered I knew we could not lose

My staff was unanimous in believing that Japan was on the point of collapse and surrender.

It was through the Second World War that most of us suddenlyappreciated for the first time the power of man's concentrated efforts to understand and control the forces of nature.We were appalled by what we saw.

Before Guadalcanal the enemy advanced at his pleasure - after Guadalcanal he retreated at ours.

If I had one more division like this First Marine Division I could win this war.

When defending itself against another country, a nation never lacks men, but too often, soldiers.

That road to V-E Day was hard and long, and traveled by weary and valiant men. And history will always record where that road began. It began here, with the first footprints on the beaches of Normandy.

These days we dimly believe that the Second World War was won with Russian blood and American money; and though that is in some ways true, it is also true that, without Churchill, Hitler would almost certainly have won.

We have the men--the skill--the wealth--and above all, the will.... We must be the great arsenal of democracy.

It is Mortifying to suppose it possible that a people able and zealous to contend with the Enemy should be reduced to fold their Arms for want of the means of defence; yet no resources that we know of, ensure us against this event.

I think we fought Vietnam for the benefits of civilization, and certainly we fought it to oppose authority. To show our authority, to show we weren't weak. Isn't that what Nixon kept saying? "We have to show the world that we're not weak." So of course what we ended up showing the world was that we were, yep, weak. 'Cause we couldn't beat these kids in black pajamas.

I am a war president.

The success of our surprise attack on Pearl Harbor will prove to be the Waterloo of the war to follow. For this reason the Imperial Navy is massing the cream of its strength in ships and planes to assure success.

If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.

You mistake, too, the people of the North. They are a peaceable people but an earnest people, and they will fight, too. They are not going to let this country be destroyed without a mighty effort to save it. Besides, where are your men and appliances of war to contend against them?

World War II was a must win.

Saddam Hussein's soldiers and his great forces gave the Americans a lesson which will not be forgotten by history. Truly.