--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In part because Americans were fearful of…" description: "\"“In part because Americans were fearful of enemies within, they went looking for enemies abroad. War and conquest have served to distract nations from ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png" --- # In part because Americans were fearful of enemies within… ![“In part because Americans were fearful of enemies within, they went looking for enemies abroad. War and conquest have served to distract nations from their internal contradictions and conflict for as long as nations have existed.” quote by Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png) > ““In part because Americans were fearful of enemies within, they went looking for enemies abroad. War and conquest have served to distract nations from their internal contradictions and conflict for as long as nations have existed.”” [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nations often channel internal anxieties into external conflicts, using war to mask domestic issues. **In simple terms:** Countries distract themselves with war instead of fixing internal problems. Key Takeaway Recognize and address internal contradictions directly. Themes politics war distraction national identity Mood critical thoughtful analytical Type historical political philosophical When to use this quote - government policy - public discourse - education - media analysis Key Concepts psychology geopolitics conflict theory Questions to Reflect On - What internal issues are being ignored in your community? - How does focusing outward affect domestic reform? A Different Perspective External wars cannot solve underlying societal problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The United States has become addicted to violence, and this dependency is fueled increasingly by its willingness to wage war at home and abroad.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/the-united-states-has-become-addicted-to-violence-and-this-dependency/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [I do not know if the doctrine that the nation-state arose in the 19th century was still being taught:;... but it is erroneous. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch-powell/i-do-not-know-if-the-doctrine-that-the-nation-state-arose-in-the-19th/) [Enoch Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch-powell/) > [“Most nations argue that they are a natural and eternal entity, created in some primordial epoch by mixing the soil of the motherland with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/most-nations-argue-that-they-are-a-natural-and-eternal-entity-created-2/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [I don't know how a lot of these nations existed as long as they have till we could get some of our people around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-know-how-a-lot-of-these-nations-existed-as-long-as-they-have/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [“The world," said Pavone, "will swing to the left. The whole world except America. The world will swing, not because people read Karl Marx,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/the-world-said-pavone-will-swing-to-the-left-the-whole-world-except/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a batter. Love is a war. Love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-does-not-begin-and-end-the-way-we-seem-to-think-it-does-love-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People came to our house from far and wide. Party and military bigwigs, some guy known as the “combat commander,” the village headman, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-came-to-our-house-from-far-and-wide-party-and-military-bigwigs/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Evan Thomas > [The media, I think, wants Kerry to win… And I think they're going to portray Kerry and Edwards ... I'm talking about the establishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/the-media-i-think-wants-kerry-to-win-and-i-think-they-re-going-to/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [I don't think the Republicans would appreciate the comparison, but they're exactly like the Labor Party in England in the 1970s. They're letting their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/i-don-t-think-the-republicans-would-appreciate-the-comparison-but/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [There is a liberal bias. It's demonstrable. You look at some statistics. About 85 percent of the reporters who cover the White House vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/there-is-a-liberal-bias-it-s-demonstrable-you-look-at-some-statistics/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [“It is true that it then presupposes that the executive should not habitually be insane!”5”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/it-is-true-that-it-then-presupposes-that-the-executive-should-not/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [Wars should be over in three days or less...and the American people must be all for it from the outset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/wars-should-be-over-in-three-days-or-less-and-the-american-people/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [American boys should not be seen dying on the nightly news. Wars should be over in three days or less, or before Congress invokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/american-boys-should-not-be-seen-dying-on-the-nightly-news-wars/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [Rush Limbaugh is good for the party. Drive it all the way down, take it down as low as it can go, make complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/rush-limbaugh-is-good-for-the-party-drive-it-all-the-way-down-take-it/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [A Lincolnesque leader is confident enough to be humble - to not feel the need to bluster or dominate, but to be sufficiently sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/a-lincolnesque-leader-is-confident-enough-to-be-humble-to-not-feel/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [“...insults were exchanged, but never conversation" (p.17).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/insults-were-exchanged-but-never-conversation-p-17/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [“according to Lodge, were guilty of far worse. The war lovers had exaggerated Spanish cruelty in order to get their war, and now they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/according-to-lodge-were-guilty-of-far-worse-the-war-lovers-had/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [“Always do what you're afraid to do"-Robert F. Kennedy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/always-do-what-you-re-afraid-to-do-robert-f-kennedy/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [We're understanding what Obama is. He is the great teacher. He is this guy that stands above everybody. There's some condescension in it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/we-re-understanding-what-obama-is-he-is-the-great-teacher-he-is-this/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [Bush's life is that a fundamentally decent man presided over a moment when politics got meaner and rougher. '88 was the year of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/bush-s-life-is-that-a-fundamentally-decent-man-presided-over-a-moment/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [With grace and a keen appreciation of human nature, Nicholas Thompson has written a revealing, moving history of the Cold War through two fascinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/with-grace-and-a-keen-appreciation-of-human-nature-nicholas-thompson/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) > [As a farmer, you learn quick: You don't get anything that you don't work hard for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/as-a-farmer-you-learn-quick-you-don-t-get-anything-that-you-don-t/) [Evan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) [Explore all 21 Evan Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/) ## More War quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [“People came to our house from far and wide. Party and military bigwigs, some guy known as the “combat commander,” the village headman, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/people-came-to-our-house-from-far-and-wide-party-and-military-bigwigs/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a batter. Love is a war. Love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-does-not-begin-and-end-the-way-we-seem-to-think-it-does-love-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The world," said Pavone, "will swing to the left. The whole world except America. The world will swing, not because people read Karl Marx,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/the-world-said-pavone-will-swing-to-the-left-the-whole-world-except/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [“Fear and desire for pleasure. Aggressiveness comes out of fear, predominantly, and sexuality predominantly out of the other. But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) W.J. Turner [Browse all 38,922 War quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In part because Americans were fearful of enemies within, they went looking for enemies abroad. War and conquest have served to distract nations from their internal contradictions and conflict for as long as nations have existed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evan Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-of-enemies-within-they-went/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "War" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-of-enemies-within-they-went/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/evan-thomas-26473_war_in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-o_736709.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In part because Americans were fearful of enemies within, they went looking for enemies abroad. War and…” — Evan Thomas", "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": "Evan Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In part because Americans were fearful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-of-enemies-within-they-went/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-thomas/in-part-because-americans-were-fearful-of-enemies-within-they-went/#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 } } ] } ```