--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bear in mind, now, that most of this work…" description: "\"“Bear in mind, now, that most of this work was done by men who had no intention whatever, when they enlisted, of making war to end slavery. Slavery was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/bruce-catton-15493_psychology_bear-in-mind-now-that-most-of-this-work_1383622.jpg" --- # Bear in mind, now, that most of this work was done by men… ![“Bear in mind, now, that most of this work was done by men who had no intention whatever, when they enlisted, of making war to end slavery. Slavery was killed by the act of war itself. It was the one human institution on all the earth which could not possibly be defended by force of arms, because…” quote by Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/bruce-catton-15493_psychology_bear-in-mind-now-that-most-of-this-work_1383622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/bruce-catton-15493_psychology_bear-in-mind-now-that-most-of-this-work_1383622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e1/bruce-catton-15493_psychology_bear-in-mind-now-that-most-of-this-work_1383622.jpg) > ““Bear in mind, now, that most of this work was done by men who had no intention whatever, when they enlisted, of making war to end slavery. Slavery was killed by the act of war itself. It was the one human institution on all the earth which could not possibly be defended by force of arms, because that force, once called into play, was bound to destroy it. The Union armies which ended slavery were led by men like Grant and Sherman, who had profound sympathies with the South and who had never in their lives shown the slightest sympathies with the abolitionists. But they were also men who believed in the one great, fearful fact about modern war--that when you get into it, the guiding rule is that you have to win it.”” [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War can unintentionally dismantle entrenched injustices, even when leaders lack abolitionist intent; success often hinges on decisive victory rather than moral purpose. **In simple terms:** War can end slavery without abolitionist goals. Key Takeaway Recognize that outcomes may differ from intentions. Themes war unintended consequences morality leadership Mood reflective thoughtful Type historical analytical When to use this quote - civil rights movements - military planning - policy making - education on history Key Concepts realpolitik historical irony military strategy Questions to Reflect On - How do unintended outcomes shape historical narratives? - Can strategic victory justify moral ambiguity? A Different Perspective Intentional moral aims may be sidelined by strategic goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-slavery-417413/) [Ended Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ended-slavery-286889/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-killed-4801527/) [Slavery Led](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-led-2299506/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I can't say with certainty that slavery would have ended more quickly and more completely if the South had been allowed to leave and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-swanson/i-can-t-say-with-certainty-that-slavery-would-have-ended-more-quickly/) [David Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-swanson/) > [We started America with the sin of slavery that led right into the post-reconstruction period which was the greatest period of domestic terrorism in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-started-america-with-the-sin-of-slavery-that-led-right-into-the/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [“The master doesn’t need to chain his slaves; their needs will chain them to him. 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