--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where are they now that we, the men whom…" description: "\"Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to war, have returned? These are commanders who have deserted their troops, and there is no more..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/anonymous-1_army_where-are-they-now-that-we-the-men-whom_1168543.jpg" --- # Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to… ![“Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to war, have returned? These are commanders who have deserted their troops, and there is no more serious crime in the law of war. The Army says they never leave their wounded. The Marines say they never leave even their dead. These men have…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/anonymous-1_army_where-are-they-now-that-we-the-men-whom_1168543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/anonymous-1_army_where-are-they-now-that-we-the-men-whom_1168543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cf/anonymous-1_army_where-are-they-now-that-we-the-men-whom_1168543.jpg) > “Where are they now that we, the men whom they sent off to war, have returned? These are commanders who have deserted their troops, and there is no more serious crime in the law of war. The Army says they never leave their wounded. The Marines say they never leave even their dead. These men have left all the casualties and retreated behind a pious shield of public rectitude. They have left the real stuff of their reputation bleaching behind them in the sun in this country.” [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. Leaders abandon their wounded, hiding behind moral pretenses while neglecting true duty **In simple terms:** Leaders neglect duty, hide behind false morality Key Takeaway Demand accountability from leaders Themes leadership morality war accountability Mood critical disillusioned Type political military When to use this quote - military leadership - political criticism - humanitarian crises Key Concepts Ethics responsibility public image Questions to Reflect On - How do societies hold leaders accountable for neglect? - What moral duties do commanders have to their troops? A Different Perspective Leaders may argue operational constraints; null; ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Bleaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bleaching/) [Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commanders/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Rectitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rectitude/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troops/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounded/) ## Related quotes > [Take my heart, if you promise you'll not break it! 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-o-brien/the-night-before-i-left-home-there-was-the-wake-in-our-kitchen-as-was/) [Edna O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-o-brien/) > [You'd go to a Pakistani party and the men and women would go in at the front door and the women would go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-scott/you-d-go-to-a-pakistani-party-and-the-men-and-women-would-go-in-at/) [Peter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-scott/) > [ “So long as there are two men left on earth there will be war. \[169\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-t-plaatje/so-long-as-there-are-two-men-left-on-earth-there-will-be-war-169/) [Sol T. 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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. 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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 Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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