--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To the non-combatants and those on the…" description: "\"To the non-combatants and those on the periphery of action, the war meant only boredom or occasional excitement, but to those who entered the meat grin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/anonymous-1_abyss_to-the-non-combatants-and-those-on-the-p_1133997.jpg" --- # To the non-combatants and those on the periphery of… ![“To the non-combatants and those on the periphery of action, the war meant only boredom or occasional excitement, but to those who entered the meat grinder itself the war was a netherworld of horror from which escape seemed less and less likely as casualties mounted and the fighting dragged on and…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/anonymous-1_abyss_to-the-non-combatants-and-those-on-the-p_1133997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/anonymous-1_abyss_to-the-non-combatants-and-those-on-the-p_1133997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/anonymous-1_abyss_to-the-non-combatants-and-those-on-the-p_1133997.jpg) > “To the non-combatants and those on the periphery of action, the war meant only boredom or occasional excitement, but to those who entered the meat grinder itself the war was a netherworld of horror from which escape seemed less and less likely as casualties mounted and the fighting dragged on and on. Time had no meaning, life had no meaning. The fierce struggle for survival in the abyss of Peleliu had eroded the veneer of civilization and made savages of us all.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Combat erodes humanity, turning soldiers into survival-driven beings in a nightmarish reality. **In simple terms:** War strips away civilization, leaving only survival. Key Takeaway Recognize war's dehumanizing impact. Themes war survival dehumanization Mood somber grim Type historical reflective When to use this quote - combat - post‑war reintegration - mental health services Key Concepts psychological trauma morality existential dread Questions to Reflect On - What coping mechanisms helped soldiers? - How can societies heal post‑conflict? A Different Perspective Some find purpose or camaraderie amid horror. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abyss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abyss/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Bored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bored/) [Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excitement/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggle for survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-for-survival/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Veneer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/veneer/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Heart doesn't forget those special people for whom it cares, Though daily struggle for survival put us a bit apart. But, those people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/heart-doesn-t-forget-those-special-people-for-whom-it-cares-though/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the beginning, the U.S. government was happy with its secret operations, since it thought it had managed to gather all the evils of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/in-the-beginning-the-u-s-government-was-happy-with-its-secret/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [Women are necessarily capable of almost anything in their struggle for survival and can scarcely be convicted of such man-made crimes as “cruelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-are-necessarily-capable-of-almost-anything-in-their-struggle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hamas hides among unwitting civilians, who have no way of controlling its activities. This fact does not give Israel the right to kill innocent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/hamas-hides-among-unwitting-civilians-who-have-no-way-of-controlling/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“It is not only more bloody and more murderous than any previous wars but also more cruel, more relentless, more pitiless … It discards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-hastings/it-is-not-only-more-bloody-and-more-murderous-than-any-previous-wars/) [Max Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-hastings/) > [As the struggle for survival has subsided, the question has emerged: survival for what? Ever more people have the means to live, but no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-struggle-for-survival-has-subsided-the-question-has-emerged/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The war in China exemplified a fact often forgotten about the Second World War: globally, more non-combatants perished than uniformed participants. Civilians in China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/the-war-in-china-exemplified-a-fact-often-forgotten-about-the-second/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“The very opposition between “conservative” and “progressive” politics can be conceived of in the terms of Darwinism: ultimately, conservatives defend the right of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-very-opposition-between-conservative-and-progressive-politics-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The statistics of suicide show that, for non-combatants at least, life is more interesting in war than in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ralph-inge/the-statistics-of-suicide-show-that-for-non-combatants-at-least-life/) [William Ralph Inge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ralph-inge/) > [“Language is a powerful thing, and it changes the way we view ourselves, and other people, in delightful and horrifying ways. Anyone with any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kameron-hurley/language-is-a-powerful-thing-and-it-changes-the-way-we-view-ourselves/) [Kameron Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kameron-hurley/) > [“The War is the enemy. It runs itself on the fears of the combatants. It is a machine into which men are put and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-war-is-the-enemy-it-runs-itself-on-the-fears-of-the-combatants-it/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [The spectator, the contemplator, the opposer of war have their hours with the enemy no less than uniformed combatants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/the-spectator-the-contemplator-the-opposer-of-war-have-their-hours/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [Against war one might say that it makes the victor stupid and the vanquished malicious. In its favor, that in producing these two effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/against-war-one-might-say-that-it-makes-the-victor-stupid-and-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“I've always found that a really lively argument depends on the ignorance of the combatants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-vanderhaeghe/i-ve-always-found-that-a-really-lively-argument-depends-on-the/) [Guy Vanderhaeghe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-vanderhaeghe/) > [I can say now: all the combatants who participated in the fight for freedom in South America came to Algeria; it's from there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-can-say-now-all-the-combatants-who-participated-in-the-fight-for/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Abyss quotes > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [“The whole organization seemed to be in free fall, indulging in a collective fantasy in which experienced colleagues refused to admit that their every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-whole-organization-seemed-to-be-in-free-fall-indulging-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/the-cradle-rocks-above-an-abyss-and-common-sense-tells-us-that-our/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [In the end things must be as they are and have always been--the great things remain for the great, the abysses for the profound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-things-must-be-as-they-are-and-have-always-been-the-great/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I admire the Elsie Tanners and Barbara Windsors of the world: people who have crawled back from the abyss. I'm quite camp in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-eclair/i-admire-the-elsie-tanners-and-barbara-windsors-of-the-world-people/) [Jenny Eclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-eclair/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) > [I look into my heart and see the abyss looking back at me.' 'I won't let you fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/i-look-into-my-heart-and-see-the-abyss-looking-back-at-me-i-won-t-let/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [There is no drop of water in the ocean, not even in the deepest parts of the abyss, that does not know and respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-carson/there-is-no-drop-of-water-in-the-ocean-not-even-in-the-deepest-parts/) [Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-carson/) > [“But first whom shall we send In search of this new world, whom shall we find Sufficient? Who shall tempt, with wand'ring feet The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/but-first-whom-shall-we-send-in-search-of-this-new-world-whom-shall/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Many women don’t know what orgasm is. Many men don’t know was total orgasm is. Many only achieve a local orgasm, a genital orgasm;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-women-don-t-know-what-orgasm-is-many-men-don-t-know-was-total/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fear not. For fear itself is fed by fear, and all fears pass. Did no one tell you so? Come take my hand, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/fear-not-for-fear-itself-is-fed-by-fear-and-all-fears-pass-did-no-one/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [God gave the sea the danger and the abyss, but it was in it that He mirrored the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/god-gave-the-sea-the-danger-and-the-abyss-but-it-was-in-it-that-he/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [We belong to an age where apocalypse is our daily bread, coffee's black, and we know we're part of the abyss. Red Spider White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/we-belong-to-an-age-where-apocalypse-is-our-daily-bread-coffee-s/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) [Browse all 625 Abyss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abyss/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To the non-combatants and those on the periphery of action, the war meant only boredom or occasional excitement, but to those who entered the meat grinder itself the war was a netherworld of horror from which escape seemed less and less likely as casualties mounted and the fighting dragged on and on. Time had no meaning, life had no meaning. 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