--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have issued the command, and I'll have…" description: "\"I have issued the command, and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad, that our war aim does not consist in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/adolf-hitler-253_aim_i-have-issued-the-command-and-i-ll-have_217824.jpg" --- # I have issued the command, and I'll have anybody who… ![“I have issued the command, and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad, that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death's-head formation in readiness, for the…” quote by Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/adolf-hitler-253_aim_i-have-issued-the-command-and-i-ll-have_217824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/adolf-hitler-253_aim_i-have-issued-the-command-and-i-ll-have_217824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/adolf-hitler-253_aim_i-have-issued-the-command-and-i-ll-have_217824.jpg) > “I have issued the command, and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad, that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death's-head formation in readiness, for the present only in the East, with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence is justified as a means to achieve territorial expansion, disregarding moral and humanitarian costs. **In simple terms:** Force used to seize land. Key Takeaway Question the cost of conquest. Themes war expansion violence Mood grim critical Type historical political When to use this quote - military strategy - political propaganda - colonial ambition - historical analysis Key Concepts imperialism genocide Questions to Reflect On - What are the moral limits of war? - How does propaganda shape public support? A Different Perspective Such rhetoric fuels atrocities and suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Annihilation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annihilation/) [Annihilation Armenians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annihilation-armenians-2232686/) [Armenian genocide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armenian-genocide/) [Armenians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armenians/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Command](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/command/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Accordingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-accordingly-2232688/) [Firing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firing/) [Firing Squad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firing-squad-942350/) [Formation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formation/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Genocide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genocide/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Living space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-space/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men & women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-women-2/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [One word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-word/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Polish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polish/) [Reaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaching/) [Readiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/readiness/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speaks Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaks-today-676307/) [Squad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squad/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today Annihilation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-annihilation-2232687/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter—with premeditation and a happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/our-strength-consists-in-our-speed-and-in-our-brutality-genghis-khan/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [We need not fear the judgement of history. Who, after all, speaks today of the extermination of the Armenians?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-need-not-fear-the-judgement-of-history-who-after-all-speaks-today/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“… and just as suddenly he was with Stern and it was a night twenty years ago in a city once called Smyrna, once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-whittemore/and-just-as-suddenly-he-was-with-stern-and-it-was-a-night-twenty/) [Edward Whittemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-whittemore/) > [“third reason God speaks today is He knows we need the comfort and assurance just as much as the believers of old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-f-stanley/third-reason-god-speaks-today-is-he-knows-we-need-the-comfort-and/) [Charles F. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-f-stanley/) > [Many years later, in front of the firing squad, colonel Aureliano Buendía would remember that distant afternoon his father took him to see ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/many-years-later-in-front-of-the-firing-squad-colonel-aureliano-buend/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“My mind is a firing squad, trained to obliterate every glimmer of hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-brooke/my-mind-is-a-firing-squad-trained-to-obliterate-every-glimmer-of-hope/) [Alma Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alma-brooke/) > [To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary. These procedures are an archaic bourgeois detail. This is a revolution! And a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-send-men-to-the-firing-squad-judicial-proof-is-unnecessary-these/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [“I will never understand why a group of police officers act as a firing squad on their victim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-will-never-understand-why-a-group-of-police-officers-act-as-a/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Gas chamber, gallows. Electric chair, stake, firing squad. Hang by the neck till you’re dead, dead, dead, and may God recycle your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-varley/gas-chamber-gallows-electric-chair-stake-firing-squad-hang-by-the/) [John Varley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-varley/) > [“On the center island the remaining pans of Swamp Yankee Applesauce Cake batter were lined up like victims about to face a firing squad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-m-trauth/on-the-center-island-the-remaining-pans-of-swamp-yankee-applesauce/) [Suzanne M. Trauth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-m-trauth/) > [“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/many-years-later-as-he-faced-the-firing-squad-colonel-aureliano-buend/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Now in Utah if you get the death sentence, they have the firing squad. In Russia, they call that early retirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/now-in-utah-if-you-get-the-death-sentence-they-have-the-firing-squad/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“If I were facing a firing squad, I’d ask them to hold on just one second, because I have a wedgie and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-i-were-facing-a-firing-squad-i-d-ask-them-to-hold-on-just-one/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [ You have \[Donald\] Trump and \[Ted\] Cruz battling it out, and the moderate establishment candidates like Chris Christie or Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, John… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/you-have-donald-trump-and-ted-cruz-battling-it-out-and-the-moderate/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [“Ten thousand people wrote letters to the governor of Utah, protesting the verdict, but Joe Hill was executed by a firing squad. Before he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/ten-thousand-people-wrote-letters-to-the-governor-of-utah-protesting/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More by Adolf Hitler > [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The State must act as the guardian of a millennial future in the face of which the wishes and the selfishness of the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-state-must-act-as-the-guardian-of-a-millennial-future-in-the-face/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Great liars are also great magicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/great-liars-are-also-great-magicians/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“Le Jeuden, des Dreugen, Au Frauden”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/le-jeuden-des-dreugen-au-frauden/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Particularly the broad masses of the people can be moved only by the power of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/particularly-the-broad-masses-of-the-people-can-be-moved-only-by-the/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I suggest you to do war but never love because in war either you live or you die. But in love neither you live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-suggest-you-to-do-war-but-never-love-because-in-war-either-you-live/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [For there is hardly a state or nation in existence which has not once had the misfortune, even if it was in the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/for-there-is-hardly-a-state-or-nation-in-existence-which-has-not-once/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [But Christianity is an invention of sick brains: one could imagine nothing more senseless, nor any more indecent way of turning the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/but-christianity-is-an-invention-of-sick-brains-one-could-imagine/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The swine who stole my dog doesn't realize what he did to me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-swine-who-stole-my-dog-doesn-t-realize-what-he-did-to-me/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“Stalin is one of the most extraordinary figures in world history. He began as a small clerk, and he has never stopped being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/stalin-is-one-of-the-most-extraordinary-figures-in-world-history-he/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to permit the conquered Eastern peoples to have arms. History teaches that all conquerors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-most-foolish-mistake-we-could-possibly-make-would-be-to-permit/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Never forget that the most sacred right on this earth is mans right to have the earth to till with his own hands, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/never-forget-that-the-most-sacred-right-on-this-earth-is-mans-right/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) [Explore all 771 Adolf Hitler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have issued the command, and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad, that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death's-head formation in readiness, for the present only in the East, with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space which we need. 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