Lyndon B. Johnson Quotes

No, [the U.S.] has made it clear that we consider a peaceful resolution an essential aspect of American foreign policy. This I believe to be a situation understood by China, but again, it is important to not sound too truculent. Taking on a billion-plus Chinese is not an enterprise which one should enter lightly.

Our reluctance for conflict should not be misjudged as a failure of will.

I try to avoid conflict. I don't want people to be unhappy.

All States do not have the same interests, but are there any interests which cannot be infinitely better reconciled before than after a war?

I have desired as sincerely as any man—I sometimes think more than any other man—that our present difficulties might be settled without the shedding of blood.

It is accordance with our determination to refrain from aggression and build up a sentiment and practice among nations more favorable to peace, that we ratified a treaty for the limitation of naval armaments made in 1921, earnestly sought for a further extension of this principle in 1927, and have secured the consent of fourteen important nations to the negotiation of a treaty condemning recourse to war, renouncing it is an instrument of national policy, and pledging each other to seek no solution of their disagreements except by pacific means.

When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet. Elsewise no man will ever bend the knee to you

The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.

There is a point beyond which conciliation looks like capitulation. I do not believe I passed that point, but others have thought otherwise.

Blessed are the peacemakers, and one sure way of peacemaking is to let the fire of contention alone. Neither fan it, nor stir it, nor add fuel to it, but let it go out by itself. Begin your ministry with one blind eye and one deaf ear.

We want peace with all our hearts. But peace cannot be achieved through weakness.

We have now to fight for peace with the same courage and deter-mination as we fought against aggression.

I believe there's no such thing as a conflict that can't be ended. They're created and sustained by human beings. They can be ended by human beings. No matter how ancient the conflict, no matter how hateful, no matter how hurtful, peace can prevail.

We accepted this war for an object, a worthy object, and the war will end when that object is attained. Under God, I hope it never will until that time.

The inhabitants will always see both sides of an argument so long as it can result in a fight.

India wants to avoid a war at all costs but it is not a one-sided affair, you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

You are keeping the possibility [of peace] open. No wise leader would do anything less

Peace is far more preferable to war. [...] I believe that peace is the only path to true security. [...] And there is no question that the only path to peace is through negotiations .

Peace by persuasion has a pleasant sound, but I think we should not be able to work it. We should have to tame the human race first, and history seems to show that that cannot be done.

Peace is not sought in order to provoke war, but war is waged in order to attain peace.

Conflicts often stem from a couple of leaders on both sides that are badly brought up. They'd rather go to war than compromise. And in business, you're competing with other companies all the time, but you don't end up going to war with each other.

There are always those who would put on armour and go into battle. but the real genius is in finding a way to get what you desire without dying for it.

There should be an honest attempt at the reconciliation of differences before resorting to combat.

Number one, that it is smart to communicate and negotiate with your enemy instead of just waging war with bombs and weapons of mass destruction.

We would like to see you departing peacefully.