Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Quotes

There is only one single constant and general idea hereabouts—hatred of the French and aversion for dependence.

France is, and must always remain, England’s greatest danger.

All the passions and prejudices of Europe were instantly set afloat.

It is more possible that a good Christian should form an alliance with the devil than I with England.

You must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil.

… the idea of nationality, has caused more damage to the economic system of Europe, however extraordinary that may seem, than the idea of plunder… The stumbling block is the difficulty of separating racial groups in Europe. Apart from the large countries where war, often prolonged for centuries, has cemented the nations, the races which fought for the possession of the continent--Latin, Teuton and Slav--have remained in conflict. They are still encamped upon the ground, always in a state of hostility, yet subject to interpenetration.

… vulgar motive of national antipathy ...

The ruling classes today nourish the conviction that national hatreds and rivalries are inevitable.

We have hated the French for years. Now you have just joined the club. It makes you much more likable.

Born in iniquity and conceived in sin, the spirit of nationalism has never ceased to bend human institutions to the service of dissension and distress.

We in Europe are confronting an unsettling feeling we never wanted to know again: how easy it is for countries to fall away from one another

For you, O Italy, hatred of the French, under whatever standard or mask they present themselves, must be the single and fundamental basis of your political existence.

It is in our blood to hate the Turks. However, we hate Bulgarians and Greeks also. The Jews like Turks, but they hate Arabs. The Arabs, in their turn, are not in favor with the Turks. And the level of hatred is rising...

Heavy Fog In Channel. Continent Cut Off.

There is less Francophobia in your country than there is anti-Americanism in my country.

The Irish hate our order, our civilization, our enterprising industry, our pure religion. This wild, reckless, indolent, uncertain, and superstitious race have no sympathy with the English character …. Their history describes an unbroken circle of bigotry and blood.

That kind of patriotism which consists in hating all other nations.

In Europe … nationalism is nothing more than a mania.

The Spanish do not like me, but I fully detest them also.

In order to rally people, governments need enemies. They want us to be afraid, to hate, so we will rally behind them. And if they do not have a real enemy, they will invent one in order to mobilize us.

I am sure I can save this country and no one else can.

We taught our young people hatred of England.

England is the natural enemy of France, an enemy greedy, ambitious, unjust, and false. The invariable and cherished object of her policy is, if not the destruction of France, at least her abasement, her humiliation, her ruin.

The English will never cut each other's throats to the extent that we desire.

Are we going to permit uncontrolled nationalism to dominate civilized Europe…?