---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And the next thing is that every war is…"
description: "\"And the next thing is that every war is going to astonish you in the way it occurred, and in the way it is carried out.\" — Dwight D. Eisenhower"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg"
---

#  And the next thing is that every war is going to astonish…

![“And the next thing is that every war is going to astonish you in the way it occurred, and in the way it is carried out.” quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg)

> “And the next thing is that every war is going to astonish you in the way it occurred, and in the way it is carried out.”

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

War surprises with its methods and execution, challenging expectations and understanding.

**In simple terms:** War is often unexpected in how it unfolds.

Key Takeaway

Prepare for unpredictable conflict.

Themes

war surprise military strategy

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- military planning
- policy making
- public awareness
- historical analysis

Key Concepts

human nature technology tactics

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors make wars unpredictable?
- How can societies better anticipate conflict changes?

A Different Perspective

Focusing only on surprise may overlook underlying causes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Going Astonish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-astonish-3377143/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Occurred Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occurred-way-3377145/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Thing War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-war-272637/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-going/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Occurred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-occurred-3377144/)

## Related quotes

> [All efforts to render politics aesthetic culminate in one thing: war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-render-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/)

[Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/)

> [That’s the attractive thing about war,” said Rosewater. “Absolutely everybody gets a little something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/that-s-the-attractive-thing-about-war-said-rosewater-absolutely/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [The appalling thing about war is that it kills all love of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-brandes/the-appalling-thing-about-war-is-that-it-kills-all-love-of-truth/)

[Georg Brandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-brandes/)

> [What a fine-looking thing is war! Yet, dress it as we may, dress and feather it, daub it with gold, huzza it, and sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/what-a-fine-looking-thing-is-war-yet-dress-it-as-we-may-dress-and/)

[Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/)

> [But what a cruel thing is war to separate and destroy families and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/but-what-a-cruel-thing-is-war-to-separate-and-destroy-families-and/)

[Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/)

> [“What a terrible thing war is, what a terrible thing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/what-a-terrible-thing-war-is-what-a-terrible-thing/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“That's the thing about war: it's never enough to disable the buildings, to blow holes into their middles; instead, they're hit over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izzeldin-abuelaish/that-s-the-thing-about-war-it-s-never-enough-to-disable-the-buildings/)

[Izzeldin Abuelaish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izzeldin-abuelaish/)

> [The worst thing about war is that so many people enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/the-worst-thing-about-war-is-that-so-many-people-enjoy-it/)

[Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/)

> [All efforts to make politics aesthetic culminate in one thing, war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-make-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/)

[Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/)

> [The bad thing of war is, that it makes more evil people than it can take away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-bad-thing-of-war-is-that-it-makes-more-evil-people-than-it-can/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [There is hardly such a thing as a war in which it makes no difference who wins. Nearly always one side stands more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/there-is-hardly-such-a-thing-as-a-war-in-which-it-makes-no-difference/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [“That's the attractive thing about war. Absolutely everything gets a little something”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/that-s-the-attractive-thing-about-war-absolutely-everything-gets-a/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [The worst thing about war was the sitting around and wondering what you were doing morally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fussell/the-worst-thing-about-war-was-the-sitting-around-and-wondering-what/)

[Paul Fussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-fussell/)

> [It's a good thing war is so terrible or else we'd get to liking it too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/it-s-a-good-thing-war-is-so-terrible-or-else-we-d-get-to-liking-it/)

[Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/)

> [“Maybe it's a terrible thing, to keep a war to yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/maybe-it-s-a-terrible-thing-to-keep-a-war-to-yourself/)

[Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/)

## More by Dwight D. Eisenhower

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/every-gun-that-is-made-every-warship-launched-every-rocket-fired/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Things are more like they are now than they ever were before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-ever-were-before/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/soldiers-sailors-and-airmen-of-the-allied-expeditionary-force-you-are/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Knowledge-full, unfettered knowledge of its own heritage, of freedom's enemies, of the whole world of men and ideas-this knowledge is a free people's surest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/knowledge-full-unfettered-knowledge-of-its-own-heritage-of-freedom-s/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Any nations right to a form of government and economic system of its own choosing is inalienable. Any nations attempt to dictate to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/any-nations-right-to-a-form-of-government-and-economic-system-of-its/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The peace we seek, founded upon decent trust and cooperation among nations, can be fortified not by weapons of war but by wheat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-peace-we-seek-founded-upon-decent-trust-and-cooperation-among/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-only-way-to-win-world-war-iii-is-to-prevent-it/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [I’m going to pass a law that no one can ask me my golf score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-m-going-to-pass-a-law-that-no-one-can-ask-me-my-golf-score/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [For all that we cherish and justly desire - for ourselves or for our children - the securing of peace is the first requisite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/for-all-that-we-cherish-and-justly-desire-for-ourselves-or-for-our/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Never waste a minute thinking about people you don't like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/never-waste-a-minute-thinking-about-people-you-don-t-like/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/do-not-needlessly-endanger-your-lives-until-i-give-you-the-signal/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

[Explore all 515 Dwight D. Eisenhower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

## More Defense quotes

> [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/)

[Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/)

> [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/)

[Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/)

> [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [My last defense / Is the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/my-last-defense-is-the-present-tense/)

[Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/)

> [Football is not just all about throwing the ball. You got to run the ball, too. Defense has to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-jefferson/football-is-not-just-all-about-throwing-the-ball-you-got-to-run-the/)

[Justin Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-jefferson/)

> [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/)

[Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/)

> [Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/witness-for-the-defense-albus-percival-wulfric-brian-dumbledore/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You say I have a bad attitude. But have you ever stopped to check yours?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-marie/you-say-i-have-a-bad-attitude-but-have-you-ever-stopped-to-check-yours/)

[Tasha Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-marie/)

> [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy. You've got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/)

[William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/)

> [Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/defense-is-a-definite-part-of-the-game-and-a-great-part-of-defense-is/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [When you shoot someone who is fleeing, it's not self-defense. It's an execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-shoot-someone-who-is-fleeing-it-s-not-self-defense-it-s-an/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the human species- back to the invention of stone tools and the domestication of fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/virtually-every-major-technological-advance-in-the-history-of-the/)

[Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/)

[Browse all 2,426 Defense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "And the next thing is that every war is going to astonish you in the way it occurred, and in the way it is carried out.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dwight D. Eisenhower"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is-going-to-astonish-you-in-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Defense"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is-going-to-astonish-you-in-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_defense_and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is_369896.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“And the next thing is that every war is going to astonish you in the way it occurred, and in the way it is…” — Dwight D. Eisenhower",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Dwight D. Eisenhower",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "And the next thing is that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is-going-to-astonish-you-in-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/and-the-next-thing-is-that-every-war-is-going-to-astonish-you-in-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
