--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ultimately, we didn't go to Germany to…" description: "\"Ultimately, we didn't go to Germany to create a democracy. We went to overthrow Adolf Hitler. But once a democracy was there, Germany was a much bigger..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/condoleezza-rice-807_democracy_ultimately-we-didn-t-go-to-germany-to-cr_2489918.jpg" --- # Ultimately, we didn't go to Germany to create a democracy… ![“Ultimately, we didn't go to Germany to create a democracy. We went to overthrow Adolf Hitler. But once a democracy was there, Germany was a much bigger supporter of and help to our national interests, both economic and security than had ever been before.” quote by Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/condoleezza-rice-807_democracy_ultimately-we-didn-t-go-to-germany-to-cr_2489918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/condoleezza-rice-807_democracy_ultimately-we-didn-t-go-to-germany-to-cr_2489918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/condoleezza-rice-807_democracy_ultimately-we-didn-t-go-to-germany-to-cr_2489918.jpg) > “Ultimately, we didn't go to Germany to create a democracy. We went to overthrow Adolf Hitler. But once a democracy was there, Germany was a much bigger supporter of and help to our national interests, both economic and security than had ever been before.” [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. U.S. entered Germany to defeat Hitler; after victory, Germany became a strong ally supporting U.S. economic and security interests. **In simple terms:** U.S. helped overthrow Hitler, then gained a valuable ally. Key Takeaway Recognize long‑term strategic benefits of actions. Themes politics history alliance Mood analytical serious Type historical political When to use this quote - diplomacy - strategic planning - international relations Key Concepts foreign policy World War II studies Questions to Reflect On - How should nations assess long‑term impacts? - What ethical dilemmas arise when intervening? A Different Perspective Alliances can shift; past actions may have unintended consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) ## Related quotes > [We did not go to war in Afghanistan or in Iraq to, quote, 'impose democracy.' We went to war in both places because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/we-did-not-go-to-war-in-afghanistan-or-in-iraq-to-quote-impose/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [After all, we didn't bring democracy to Germany in 1945; Hitler destroyed democracy there first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-scowcroft/after-all-we-didn-t-bring-democracy-to-germany-in-1945-hitler/) [Brent Scowcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-scowcroft/) > [The point now is how do we work together to achieve important goals. And one such goal is a democracy in Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-point-now-is-how-do-we-work-together-to-achieve-important-goals/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If the Egyptian people can create a democracy in the heart of the Arab world, it will be a more significant contribution to civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/if-the-egyptian-people-can-create-a-democracy-in-the-heart-of-the/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [America's objective in the Middle East is to create democracy in the same way that my goal on a first date to feed women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/america-s-objective-in-the-middle-east-is-to-create-democracy-in-the/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [There's a lot of really wonderful things about the United States of America, especially its ethnic diversity and its mostly successful struggle to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-tobar/there-s-a-lot-of-really-wonderful-things-about-the-united-states-of/) [Hector Tobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-tobar/) > [The Constitution created a system of checks and balances designed to prevent the president from becoming a king or a dictator. Our founders had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-tarlov/the-constitution-created-a-system-of-checks-and-balances-designed-to/) [Jessica Tarlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-tarlov/) > [In capitalist society we have a democracy that is curtailed, wretched, false, a democracy only for the rich, for the minority. The dictatorship of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/in-capitalist-society-we-have-a-democracy-that-is-curtailed-wretched/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [ For instance, \[Adolf Hitler\] would never have spent the night at the Widenmayerstraße apartment. He visited it before we moved the furniture in, he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/for-instance-adolf-hitler-would-never-have-spent-the-night-at-the/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [“Adolf Hitler declared war in 1941. By 1942, Allen Dulles was moved to Switzerland for the purpose of rounding up and importing German scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/adolf-hitler-declared-war-in-1941-by-1942-allen-dulles-was-moved-to/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [“It may seem somewhat ironic that the Catholic Church finds itself advocating the same position against abortion as its severest Christian critics, the Protestant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-holland/it-may-seem-somewhat-ironic-that-the-catholic-church-finds-itself/) [Jack Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-holland/) > [ My father would never have come to visit, he detested Eva's \[Braun\] choice in a man and the fact \[Adolf\] Hitler had set her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/my-father-would-never-have-come-to-visit-he-detested-eva-s-braun/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [ \[Wilhelm\] Bruckner was one of \[Adolf\] Hitler's adjutants, very close to him and he'd been in the party probably since day one. Personally neither… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/wilhelm-bruckner-was-one-of-adolf-hitler-s-adjutants-very-close-to/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [ \[Eva Braun\] was the one who was involved with \[Adolf Hitler\], who was close to him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/eva-braun-was-the-one-who-was-involved-with-adolf-hitler-who-was/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin ## More by Condoleezza Rice > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I remember at the time of 9/11 that there were women who went out of their way to escort Muslim women to grocery stores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-remember-at-the-time-of-9-11-that-there-were-women-who-went-out-of/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The first step for a leader is to be right with yourself. Integrity is the basis of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-first-step-for-a-leader-is-to-be-right-with-yourself-integrity-is/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [A lot is being done to bring additional protective measures, particularly the critical infrastructure locations around the United States, ... There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I'm not personally fearful, but I look out, and there are a number of things that concern me, and I'm hopeful that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-not-personally-fearful-but-i-look-out-and-there-are-a-number-of/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [ \[I'm\] very fortunate and blessed person who still has a lot of living to do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-fortunate-and-blessed-person-who-still-has-a-lot-of-living/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Football is like war. It's about taking territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/football-is-like-war-it-s-about-taking-territory/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I think there are plenty of men out there who are capable and accomplished in their own realm. You don't have to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-there-are-plenty-of-men-out-there-who-are-capable-and/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I've always said as a political scientist that "culture" is what we use when we can't explain things. I think it's more about accessibility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-ve-always-said-as-a-political-scientist-that-culture-is-what-we-use/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I believed Afghanistan was always going to be hard. It's the fifth poorest country in the world. And when you fly over it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-believed-afghanistan-was-always-going-to-be-hard-it-s-the-fifth/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I'm very glad my mother didn't let me quit piano lessons at age 10. She said I wasn't old enough or good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-glad-my-mother-didn-t-let-me-quit-piano-lessons-at-age-10/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) [Explore all 365 Condoleezza Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. 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