--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This nation has given the world an object…" description: "\"This nation has given the world an object lesson in the whole duty of neutrals, which is to furnish an outlet for the wrath of a belligerent who is ann..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png" --- # This nation has given the world an object lesson in the… ![“This nation has given the world an object lesson in the whole duty of neutrals, which is to furnish an outlet for the wrath of a belligerent who is annoyed because he cannot defeat his opponent.” quote by Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png) > “This nation has given the world an object lesson in the whole duty of neutrals, which is to furnish an outlet for the wrath of a belligerent who is annoyed because he cannot defeat his opponent.” [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neutral nations often become outlets for aggressors' frustrations when they cannot win directly. **In simple terms:** Neutrals absorb aggressor anger. Key Takeaway Recognize how neutrality can be exploited. Themes politics war neutrality Mood cautious analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - diplomatic negotiations - conflict resolution - media analysis Key Concepts International relations power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can neutrals maintain integrity without becoming venting outlets? - What policies reduce this risk? A Different Perspective Neutrality may unintentionally empower belligerents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Wrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrath/) ## Related quotes > [“The one lesson to be learned is the necessity for every officer to cultivate belief in his own judgment, so as not to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-andrew-hugh-gordon/the-one-lesson-to-be-learned-is-the-necessity-for-every-officer-to/) [Gilbert Andrew Hugh Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-andrew-hugh-gordon/) > [I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [Though I was not a belligerent kid, I do not think I ever passed up a good opportunity to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tunney/though-i-was-not-a-belligerent-kid-i-do-not-think-i-ever-passed-up-a/) [Gene Tunney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tunney/) > [I'm a little too belligerent. I cuss and swear at people. I yell at umpires and maybe I'm a little to tough at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-munson/i-m-a-little-too-belligerent-i-cuss-and-swear-at-people-i-yell-at/) [Thurman Munson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-munson/) > [When you get a certain level of resources, and you want things a certain way, I find it difficult to get too belligerent because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/when-you-get-a-certain-level-of-resources-and-you-want-things-a/) [Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/) > [I'm belligerent rather than ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hart/i-m-belligerent-rather-than-ambitious/) [Ian Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hart/) > [A belligerent state permits itself every such misdeed, every such act of violence, as would disgrace the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-belligerent-state-permits-itself-every-such-misdeed-every-such-act/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [How d’you spell ‘belligerent’?” said Ron, shaking his quill very hard while staring at his parchment. “It can’t be B — U — M…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-d-you-spell-belligerent-said-ron-shaking-his-quill-very-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're just very belligerent, and I'm not trying to put Americans down, by and large I think we're nice people, but we operate with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/we-re-just-very-belligerent-and-i-m-not-trying-to-put-americans-down/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Religion turned some folks belligerent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-wilks/religion-turned-some-folks-belligerent/) [Eileen Wilks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-wilks/) > [Insurgent, he says. Noun. A person who acts in opposition to the established authority, who is not necessarily regarded as a belligerent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/insurgent-he-says-noun-a-person-who-acts-in-opposition-to-the/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Strength does not have to be belligerent and loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/strength-does-not-have-to-be-belligerent-and-loud/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [I get a little belligerent when not enough protesters show up at my appearances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/i-get-a-little-belligerent-when-not-enough-protesters-show-up-at-my/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Wait, damn, there I go again. I be trippin', I be flippin', I be so belligerent. Man the shit that we be fighting over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/wait-damn-there-i-go-again-i-be-trippin-i-be-flippin-i-be-so/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I was probably that obnoxious kid in first-year university who would try to win a political debate by just, you know, being belligerent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/i-was-probably-that-obnoxious-kid-in-first-year-university-who-would/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) ## More by Elmer Davis > [You may not like Mr. Roosevelt, but if he loss the war, we all lose it with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/you-may-not-like-mr-roosevelt-but-if-he-loss-the-war-we-all-lose-it/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-nation-will-remain-the-land-of-the-free-only-so-long-as-it-is/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [“The first and greatest commandment is, Don't let them scare you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-first-and-greatest-commandment-is-don-t-let-them-scare-you/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [We are going to use the truth, and we are going to use it toward the end of winning the war; and we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/we-are-going-to-use-the-truth-and-we-are-going-to-use-it-toward-the/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [One of the things that is wrong with America is that everybody who has done anything at all in his own field is expected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/one-of-the-things-that-is-wrong-with-america-is-that-everybody-who/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [There is an increasing demand that the president and Secretary Hull get rid of the unteachable group in the State Department of men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/there-is-an-increasing-demand-that-the-president-and-secretary-hull/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [When a middle-aged man says in a moment of weariness that he is half dead, he is telling the literal truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/when-a-middle-aged-man-says-in-a-moment-of-weariness-that-he-is-half/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [The only identification that would be inscribed on any cat's collar would be "This is the cat's cat."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-only-identification-that-would-be-inscribed-on-any-cat-s-collar/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [This republic was not established by cowards; and cowards will not preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-republic-was-not-established-by-cowards-and-cowards-will-not/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [The American public has a right to know what's going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-american-public-has-a-right-to-know-what-s-going-on/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [Large elements in Congress and the public were willing to fight for victory but wanted to be very sure that the struggle was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/large-elements-in-congress-and-the-public-were-willing-to-fight-for/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [The first and great commandment is: Don't let them scare you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-first-and-great-commandment-is-don-t-let-them-scare-you/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [New York was growing so fast that the extraordinary prosperity which attended 'The Times' almost from the outset brought no real injury to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/new-york-was-growing-so-fast-that-the-extraordinary-prosperity-which/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [I believe that if the entire voting population of the United States could be taken in small groups on a personally conducted tour of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/i-believe-that-if-the-entire-voting-population-of-the-united-states/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [The chief characteristic of 'The Tribune' under Greeley was an aggressive and even ostentatious purity. 'Immoral and degrading police reports,' and any notices of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-chief-characteristic-of-the-tribune-under-greeley-was-an/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) [Explore all 30 Elmer Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) ## More Defeat quotes > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Defeat furnishes good material to the poets and the artists, but none of us care to have the glory of the conquered apply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/defeat-furnishes-good-material-to-the-poets-and-the-artists-but-none/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“Defeat is a disease, and victory is the cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defeat-is-a-disease-and-victory-is-the-cure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The glow of victory and the harsh chill of defeat are two sides of the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lenartowicz/the-glow-of-victory-and-the-harsh-chill-of-defeat-are-two-sides-of/) Maria Lenartowicz > [After a big defeat, any player feels affected - it is about how long he needs to recover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/after-a-big-defeat-any-player-feels-affected-it-is-about-how-long-he/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gichin-funakoshi/the-ultimate-aim-of-karate-lies-not-in-victory-or-defeat-but-in-the/) [Gichin Funakoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gichin-funakoshi/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) Victor J. Dzau > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) [Browse all 2,603 Defeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This nation has given the world an object lesson in the whole duty of neutrals, which is to furnish an outlet for the wrath of a belligerent who is annoyed because he cannot defeat his opponent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elmer Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-object-lesson-in-the-whole-duty-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defeat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-object-lesson-in-the-whole-duty-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/elmer-davis-20512_defeat_this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-objec_1704920.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This nation has given the world an object lesson in the whole duty of neutrals, which is to furnish an…” — Elmer Davis", "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": "Elmer Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This nation has given the world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-object-lesson-in-the-whole-duty-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/this-nation-has-given-the-world-an-object-lesson-in-the-whole-duty-of/#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 } } ] } ```