--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I had my way, this war would never…" description: "\"If I had my way, this war would never have been commenced. If I had been allowed my way this war would have been ended before this.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/abraham-lincoln-88_ended_if-i-had-my-way-this-war-would-never-hav_2922715.png" --- # If I had my way, this war would never have been commenced… ![“If I had my way, this war would never have been commenced. If I had been allowed my way this war would have been ended before this.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/abraham-lincoln-88_ended_if-i-had-my-way-this-war-would-never-hav_2922715.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/abraham-lincoln-88_ended_if-i-had-my-way-this-war-would-never-hav_2922715.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/abraham-lincoln-88_ended_if-i-had-my-way-this-war-would-never-hav_2922715.png) > “If I had my way, this war would never have been commenced. If I had been allowed my way this war would have been ended before this.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If given authority, war could be avoided or ended sooner; personal agency matters in conflict resolution. **In simple terms:** Leadership can prevent war. Key Takeaway Advocate for peace. Themes war leadership agency Mood reflective hopeful Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - diplomacy - policy making - public discourse Key Concepts political science ethics Questions to Reflect On - What could you change? - How do you influence peace? A Different Perspective Power may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowed Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed-way-4267093/) [Commenced Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commenced-allowed-4267092/) [Ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ended/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [My way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-way/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Commenced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-commenced-2313832/) [War Ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-ended-469652/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“For African Americans, war commenced not in 1861, but in 1661, when the Virginia Colony began passing America's first black codes, the charter documents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/for-african-americans-war-commenced-not-in-1861-but-in-1661-when-the/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [“When people weren't allowed to go their own way, they were more likely to break than bend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/when-people-weren-t-allowed-to-go-their-own-way-they-were-more-likely/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [The Civil War is not ended: I question whether any serious civil war ever does end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-civil-war-is-not-ended-i-question-whether-any-serious-civil-war/) [T. 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How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. 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