--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only to clear from history that…" description: "\"It is only to clear from history that states rarely keep faith with each other, save in so far (and so long) as their promises seem to them to combine ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/b-h-liddell-hart-9275_clear_it-is-only-to-clear-from-history-that-st_993538.png" --- # It is only to clear from history that states rarely keep… ![“It is only to clear from history that states rarely keep faith with each other, save in so far (and so long) as their promises seem to them to combine with their interests.” quote by B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/b-h-liddell-hart-9275_clear_it-is-only-to-clear-from-history-that-st_993538.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/b-h-liddell-hart-9275_clear_it-is-only-to-clear-from-history-that-st_993538.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/b-h-liddell-hart-9275_clear_it-is-only-to-clear-from-history-that-st_993538.png) > “It is only to clear from history that states rarely keep faith with each other, save in so far (and so long) as their promises seem to them to combine with their interests.” [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. States often break promises unless those promises align with their own interests, making alliances fragile. **In simple terms:** Promises survive only when they serve self‑interest. Key Takeaway Check whose interests are truly at stake. Themes politics trust alliances Mood cautious analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - diplomacy - international negotiations - military coalitions - policy making Key Concepts realpolitik self‑interest Questions to Reflect On - Do you trust agreements that benefit you? - How can mutual benefit be ensured? A Different Perspective Even when interests align, mistrust can still undermine cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ## Related quotes > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [What keeps faith cheerful is the extreme persistence of gentleness and humor. Gentleness is everywhere in daily life, a sign that faith rules through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/what-keeps-faith-cheerful-is-the-extreme-persistence-of-gentleness/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [The Church which taught men not to keep faith with heretics, had no claim to toleration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-church-which-taught-men-not-to-keep-faith-with-heretics-had-no/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Champions get up! When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something! Champions get up! Focus your mind, pull yourself together. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/champions-get-up-when-you-re-down-to-nothing-god-is-up-to-something/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [Somewhere along the line, organized religion stopped being about faith, and started being about who had the power to keep the faith. You said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/somewhere-along-the-line-organized-religion-stopped-being-about-faith/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If after all your efforts you cannot succeed, you could not please our Lord more than by sacrificing to Him your will, and remaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-after-all-your-efforts-you-cannot-succeed-you-could-not-please-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't know if it would be a successful one, or what the stages would be, but I always saw myself as a lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-didn-t-know-if-it-would-be-a-successful-one-or-what-the-stages/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [People are stumbling over the simplest things. Take, for instance, that word believeth. You would think that was plain enough for anybody, but all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/people-are-stumbling-over-the-simplest-things-take-for-instance-that/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [So shall we join the disciples of our Lord, keeping faith in Him in spite of the crucifixion, and making ready, by our loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/so-shall-we-join-the-disciples-of-our-lord-keeping-faith-in-him-in/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-what-is-faith-unless-it-is-to-believe-what-you-do-not-see/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [If you do keep the faith and continue to be radical, very bad things can and do happen to you. 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Faith, though, can turn difficulty into reality, positive reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/faith-is-the-ability-to-see-things-that-don-t-yet-exist-faith-though/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [It doesn't matter if we were down 3-0. You've just got to keep the faith. The game is not over until the last out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ortiz/it-doesn-t-matter-if-we-were-down-3-0-you-ve-just-got-to-keep-the/) [David Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ortiz/) ## More by B. H. Liddell Hart > [The downfall of civilized states tends to come not from the direct assaults of foes, but from internal decay combined with the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/the-downfall-of-civilized-states-tends-to-come-not-from-the-direct/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [The implied threat of using nuclear weapons to curb guerrillas was as absurd as to talk of using a sledge hammer to ward off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/the-implied-threat-of-using-nuclear-weapons-to-curb-guerrillas-was-as/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [In war the chief incalculable is the human will, which manifests itself in resistance, which in turn lies in the province of tactics. Strategy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/in-war-the-chief-incalculable-is-the-human-will-which-manifests/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [If you want peace, understand war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/if-you-want-peace-understand-war/) [B. H. 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H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [If we clear the air of the fog of catchwords which surround the conduct of war, and grasp that in the human will lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/if-we-clear-the-air-of-the-fog-of-catchwords-which-surround-the/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [The unexpected cannot guarantee success, but it guarantees the best chance of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/the-unexpected-cannot-guarantee-success-but-it-guarantees-the-best/) [B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/) > [Guerrilla war is a kind of war waged by the few but dependent on the support of many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/guerrilla-war-is-a-kind-of-war-waged-by-the-few-but-dependent-on-the/) [B. H. 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