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You have to take chances for peace, just as you must take…

“You have to take chances for peace, just as you must take chances in war. Some say that we were brought to the verge of war. Of course we were brought to the verge of war. The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art... If you try to run away from it, if you…” quote by John Foster Dulles
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“You have to take chances for peace, just as you must take chances in war. Some say that we were brought to the verge of war. Of course we were brought to the verge of war. The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art... If you try to run away from it, if you are scared to go to the brink, you are lost. We've had to look it square in the face... We walked to the brink and we looked it in the face. We took strong action.”

John Foster Dulles

About This Quote

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

Balancing peace and war requires confronting danger directly rather than avoiding it.

In simple terms: Face danger to keep peace.

Key Takeaway

Confront challenges head‑on.

Themes

peace war courage strategy

Mood

serious determined

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

  • diplomacy
  • military planning
  • personal crises
  • ethical decisions

Key Concepts

political theory conflict resolution psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What brink have you faced?
  • How can you act without fear?
A Different Perspective

Avoiding danger can lead to complacency.

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