---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Widespread violence against civilians…"
description: "\"“Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated that the Spanish Civil War was, sadly enough, not a unique case in modern history: such terror..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg"
---

#  Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated…

![“Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated that the Spanish Civil War was, sadly enough, not a unique case in modern history: such terror has been a common component in many civil wars, including those in twentieth-century Russia, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Finland.” quote by Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg)

> ““Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated that the Spanish Civil War was, sadly enough, not a unique case in modern history: such terror has been a common component in many civil wars, including those in twentieth-century Russia, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Finland.””

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

## About This Quote

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

Civil wars often involve terror against civilians, a pattern repeated across 20th‑century conflicts.

**In simple terms:** Civil wars commonly target civilians, not unique to Spain.

Key Takeaway

Study patterns to prevent future atrocities.

Themes

war civilian protection history terror

Mood

somber urgent

Type

educational advocacy

When to use this quote

- policy making
- education
- humanitarian aid

Key Concepts

human rights conflict studies comparative politics

Questions to Reflect On

- What factors make civilian targeting more likely?
- How can international law better deter such violence?

A Different Perspective

The statement may ignore unique political contexts of each war.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Civil Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-wars-415348/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Modern history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-history/) [Spanish Civil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanish-civil-557818/) [Spanish civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spanish-civil-war/) [Violence Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-civilians-5124420/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wars Including](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wars-including-5124422/) [Widespread Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/widespread-violence-5124421/)

## Related quotes

> [ Some 2,800 Americans went to Spain \[during the Spanish Civil War\], and it was, by far, the largest number of Americans before or since… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/some-2-800-americans-went-to-spain-during-the-spanish-civil-war-and/)

[Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/)

> [For all those who experienced it, the Spanish Civil War was devastating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/for-all-those-who-experienced-it-the-spanish-civil-war-was-devastating/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [I think in many ways, the Spanish Civil War was the first battle of World War II. After all, where else in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/i-think-in-many-ways-the-spanish-civil-war-was-the-first-battle-of/)

[Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/)

> [There was so much going on in 1936 with the height of the Great Depression and the Spanish Civil War and Germany on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/there-was-so-much-going-on-in-1936-with-the-height-of-the-great/)

[Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/)

> [Mum and Dad met campaigning on the Spanish civil war. Both were active peace campaigners. They died in 1986 and '87.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/mum-and-dad-met-campaigning-on-the-spanish-civil-war-both-were-active/)

[Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/)

> [Terrorism is the intentional use of, or threat to use violence against civilians or against civilian targets, in order to attain political aims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boaz-ganor/terrorism-is-the-intentional-use-of-or-threat-to-use-violence-against/)

[Boaz Ganor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boaz-ganor/)

> [Stillertook part in the Spanish Civil WarIt is not clear what impelled him to this military gesture. Probably many factors were combined--a rather romantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/stillertook-part-in-the-spanish-civil-warit-is-not-clear-what/)

[Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/)

> [All wars are civil wars because all men are brothers... Each one owes infinitely more to the human race than to the particular country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-wars-are-civil-wars-because-all-men-are-brothers-each-one-owes/)

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

> [the worst wars are religious wars between sects of the same religion or civil wars between brothers of the same race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-worst-wars-are-religious-wars-between-sects-of-the-same-religion/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [There have never been so many civil wars as in the Kingdom of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/there-have-never-been-so-many-civil-wars-as-in-the-kingdom-of-christ/)

[Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/)

> [In countries where there are real civil wars, people go through a lot, and we should be willing to go through a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/in-countries-where-there-are-real-civil-wars-people-go-through-a-lot/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [We've gone thorough religious wars and civil wars. America has gone through slavery, we've all gone through two world wars, segregation. Ultimately it's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/we-ve-gone-thorough-religious-wars-and-civil-wars-america-has-gone/)

[Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/)

> [Rich countries do civil wars with tweets and votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/rich-countries-do-civil-wars-with-tweets-and-votes/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [Taxation, the very thing that had triggered the British civil wars, would do so again, this time in America. The taxes may have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/taxation-the-very-thing-that-had-triggered-the-british-civil-wars/)

[Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/)

> [“Civil wars...are the best wars for the writer...because they have a way of continuing long afterwl wars between nations are resolved; because, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/civil-wars-are-the-best-wars-for-the-writer-because-they-have-a-way/)

[Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/)

## More by Geoffrey Jensen

> [“And in a more general context, after World War I, many air force leaders had come to see civilians as legitimate targets, often advocating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/and-in-a-more-general-context-after-world-war-i-many-air-force/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

> [“During the first part of the 1930s, Spain saw the fall of its monarchy, its first democracy, a major revolutionary insurrection, an attempted military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/during-the-first-part-of-the-1930s-spain-saw-the-fall-of-its-monarchy/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

> [“Like more than a few of his colleagues, he believed the Spanish army—or at least the sector of the army that shared his outlook—to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/like-more-than-a-few-of-his-colleagues-he-believed-the-spanish-army/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

> [“The seizure of the church and other lands and the closing of Catholic schools were among the developments that deeply disturbed many Spaniards on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/the-seizure-of-the-church-and-other-lands-and-the-closing-of-catholic/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

> [“Above all, Franco understood how to take advantage of opportunities when they arose. His natural caution and conservatism proved particularly valuable during the civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/above-all-franco-understood-how-to-take-advantage-of-opportunities/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

> [“The undeniable tactical skills and successes of the twentieth-century German military often obscure a greater truth: in wars the Germans always met defeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/the-undeniable-tactical-skills-and-successes-of-the-twentieth-century/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

> [“The most famous bombing of Republican territory occurred at the hands of German and Italian pilots at Guernica in the Basque Country on 26…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/the-most-famous-bombing-of-republican-territory-occurred-at-the-hands/)

[Geoffrey Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

[Explore all 8 Geoffrey Jensen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/)

## More Civil war quotes

> [“Time overlaps itself. A breath breathed from a passing breeze is not the whole wind, neither is it just the last of what has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/time-overlaps-itself-a-breath-breathed-from-a-passing-breeze-is-not/)

[Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/)

> [“Whatever happened in those more than one hundred years, from the time my great-great-great grandfather studied law to the time when my own father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwenn-wright/whatever-happened-in-those-more-than-one-hundred-years-from-the-time/)

[Gwenn Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwenn-wright/)

> [“AUSTRALIA, LIKE THE UNITED STATES, experienced a different path to inclusive institutions than the one taken by England. The same revolutions that shook England…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/australia-like-the-united-states-experienced-a-different-path-to/)

[Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/)

> [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [“Thinking about the weather was one way of shutting out of his mind the appalling bloody human mess sprawled out over the bed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ellis/thinking-about-the-weather-was-one-way-of-shutting-out-of-his-mind/)

[Mark Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ellis/)

> [It cost about 75 cents to kill a man in Ceasar's time. The price rose to about $3,000 per man during the Napoleonic wars;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer-bone/it-cost-about-75-cents-to-kill-a-man-in-ceasar-s-time-the-price-rose/)

[Homer Bone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer-bone/)

> [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/)

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

> [“ “In the South, football is confused with religion, chivalry, the Civil War, and women.” -Diane Roberts, The Quotable South ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/in-the-south-football-is-confused-with-religion-chivalry-the-civil/)

[Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/)

> [“By the following morning, September 15, Jackson had positioned nearly fifty guns on Maryland Heights and at the base of Loudoun Heights.  Then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/by-the-following-morning-september-15-jackson-had-positioned-nearly/)

[Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/)

> [Strange, (is it not?) that battles, martyrs, blood, even assassination should so condense - perhaps only really lastingly condense - a Nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/strange-is-it-not-that-battles-martyrs-blood-even-assassination/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

> [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of/)

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

> [“Civil wars...are the best wars for the writer...because they have a way of continuing long afterwl wars between nations are resolved; because, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/civil-wars-are-the-best-wars-for-the-writer-because-they-have-a-way/)

[Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/)

> [I am out of money,we are all out of money,but we dont need money down here- Dont need anything but Men , Muskets, Ammunition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-connolly/i-am-out-of-money-we-are-all-out-of-money-but-we-dont-need-money-down/)

[James A. Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-connolly/)

> [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/)

[Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/)

> [“Only twenty - nine years in the entire human history had been without warfare, and now here he was too, travelling between the episodes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/only-twenty-nine-years-in-the-entire-human-history-had-been-without/)

[Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/)

[Browse all 1,714 Civil war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated that the Spanish Civil War was, sadly enough, not a unique case in modern history: such terror has been a common component in many civil wars, including those in twentieth-century Russia, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Finland.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Geoffrey Jensen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/widespread-violence-against-civilians-also-demonstrated-that-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Civil war"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/widespread-violence-against-civilians-also-demonstrated-that-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4c/geoffrey-jensen-48213_civil-war_widespread-violence-against-civilians-al_1435712.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated that the Spanish Civil War was, sadly enough, not a…” — Geoffrey Jensen",
                "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": "Geoffrey Jensen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-jensen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Widespread violence against civilians also demonstrated...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/widespread-violence-against-civilians-also-demonstrated-that-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-jensen/widespread-violence-against-civilians-also-demonstrated-that-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
