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RECONCILIATION, n. A suspension of hostilities. An armed…

“RECONCILIATION, n. A suspension of hostilities. An armed truce for the purpose of digging up the dead.” quote by Ambrose Bierce
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“RECONCILIATION, n. A suspension of hostilities. An armed truce for the purpose of digging up the dead.”

Ambrose Bierce

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A temporary peace is used to recover what was lost in conflict.

In simple terms: A truce lets people dig up the dead.

Key Takeaway

Use pauses to resolve past harms.

Themes

conflict recovery peace mortality

Mood

somber reflective

Type

philosophical historical

When to use this quote

  • battlefields
  • post‑war societies
  • family loss
  • archaeology

Key Concepts

war remembrance humanity

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does “digging up the dead” symbolize for you?
  • How can a pause become a path to healing?
A Different Perspective

A truce may hide deeper grievances that resurface later.

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