--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A state attacked by another which renews…" description: "\"A state attacked by another which renews an old claim rarely yields it without a war: it prefers to defend its territory, as is always more honorable. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/antoine-henri-jomini-41243_claims_a-state-attacked-by-another-which-renews_1428970.png" --- # A state attacked by another which renews an old claim… ![“A state attacked by another which renews an old claim rarely yields it without a war: it prefers to defend its territory, as is always more honorable. But it may be advantageous to take the offensive, instead of awaiting the attack on the frontiers.” quote by Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/antoine-henri-jomini-41243_claims_a-state-attacked-by-another-which-renews_1428970.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/antoine-henri-jomini-41243_claims_a-state-attacked-by-another-which-renews_1428970.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/247/antoine-henri-jomini-41243_claims_a-state-attacked-by-another-which-renews_1428970.png) > “A state attacked by another which renews an old claim rarely yields it without a war: it prefers to defend its territory, as is always more honorable. But it may be advantageous to take the offensive, instead of awaiting the attack on the frontiers.” [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A state should consider offensive action rather than merely defending, as honor lies in defense but strategic advantage may require attack. **In simple terms:** Offense can be strategic despite honor in defense. Key Takeaway Weigh defensive honor against offensive benefits. Themes strategy honor defense offense warfare Mood analytical cautious Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - border disputes - military planning - diplomatic negotiations - conflict resolution Key Concepts military doctrine realpolitik geopolitics Questions to Reflect On - When is offensive action justified? - How to balance honor with strategic needs? A Different Perspective Offensive moves risk escalation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Frontiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frontiers/) [Territory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/territory/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The wise man prefers the left, the man of war prefers the right. Weapons are instruments of fear, they are not a wise man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tsu/the-wise-man-prefers-the-left-the-man-of-war-prefers-the-right/) [Lao Tsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tsu/) > [Japan is determined to defend its territory, territorial waters and air space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihide-suga/japan-is-determined-to-defend-its-territory-territorial-waters-and/) [Yoshihide Suga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihide-suga/) > [All too often, academic departments defend their territory with the passion of cornered animals, though with far less justification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jackson/all-too-often-academic-departments-defend-their-territory-with-the/) [Bruce Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jackson/) > [ There \[in Afghanistan\] is also a growing insurgency threat from al-Qaida, the Taliban and other extremist elements, some of which comes from the tribal… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/there-in-afghanistan-is-also-a-growing-insurgency-threat-from-al/) [David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/) > [Liberty has restraints but no frontiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd-george/liberty-has-restraints-but-no-frontiers/) [David Lloyd George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd-george/) > [The frontier of America is on the Rhine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-frontier-of-america-is-on-the-rhine/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The frontiers we broke into in the '60s are still largely unexplored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/the-frontiers-we-broke-into-in-the-60s-are-still-largely-unexplored/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Up to the 20th century, we can say that this whole period was an Earth epoch, 'Earth' meaning the riches of the earth, simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/up-to-the-20th-century-we-can-say-that-this-whole-period-was-an-earth/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [If he were allowed contact with foreigners he would discover that they are creatures similar to himself and that most of what he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/if-he-were-allowed-contact-with-foreigners-he-would-discover-that/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Fuehrer, we are on the march! 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But in doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-russia-there-is-an-emigration-of-intelligence-migr-s-cross-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Melissa McCarthy just opened this new movie, 'Identity Thief,' and Rex Reed, who's a known critic, wrote a scathing commentary on her weight. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-gad/melissa-mccarthy-just-opened-this-new-movie-identity-thief-and-rex/) [Josh Gad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gad/) > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [I just think music is one of those frontiers where people really want the "I" to be you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-just-think-music-is-one-of-those-frontiers-where-people-really-want/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) ## More by Antoine-Henri Jomini > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [ This \[a surprise attack\] is an operation by no means to be despised in war, although it is rare, and less brilliant than a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/this-a-surprise-attack-is-an-operation-by-no-means-to-be-despised-in/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [It is certainly of great importance for a general to keep his plans secret; and Frederick the Great was right when he said that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/it-is-certainly-of-great-importance-for-a-general-to-keep-his-plans/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [ But it is almost impossible to communicate with them \[one's spies in the enemy camp\] and receive the information they possess ... 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We claim them from a higher source - from the King of kings and Lord of all the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickinson/the-rights-essential-to-happiness-we-claim-them-from-a-higher-source/) [John Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickinson/) > [Those who do not know what love is likens it to beauty Those who claim to know what love is likens it to ugliness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/those-who-do-not-know-what-love-is-likens-it-to-beauty-those-who/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [If ever my life can be of any use to you, come and claim it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-ever-my-life-can-be-of-any-use-to-you-come-and-claim-it/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [Life is so full of meaning and of purpose, so full of beauty - beneath its covering - that you will find that earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-giocondo/life-is-so-full-of-meaning-and-of-purpose-so-full-of-beauty-beneath/) [Giovanni Giocondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-giocondo/) Browse all 2,762 Claims quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A state attacked by another which renews an old claim rarely yields it without a war: it prefers to defend its territory, as is always more honorable. 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