--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Appeasement does not work. As was the…" description: "\"Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s, we see in Saddam Hussein an aggressive dictator threatening his neighbors.\" — George H. W. Bush" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/george-h-w-bush-1459_1930s_appeasement-does-not-work-as-was-the-cas_2280965.png" --- # Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s… ![“Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s, we see in Saddam Hussein an aggressive dictator threatening his neighbors.” quote by George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/george-h-w-bush-1459_1930s_appeasement-does-not-work-as-was-the-cas_2280965.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/george-h-w-bush-1459_1930s_appeasement-does-not-work-as-was-the-cas_2280965.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b3/george-h-w-bush-1459_1930s_appeasement-does-not-work-as-was-the-cas_2280965.png) > “Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s, we see in Saddam Hussein an aggressive dictator threatening his neighbors.” [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Appeasement fails, as shown by 1930s aggression and Saddam Hussein’s threats. **In simple terms:** Appeasement doesn’t stop aggressive dictators. Key Takeaway Adopt firm diplomatic or military strategies. Themes politics security history Mood cautious serious Type political historical When to use this quote - foreign policy - military planning - international negotiations - conflict prevention Key Concepts deterrence aggression policy failure Questions to Reflect On - When is force justified? - What alternatives exist to appeasement? A Different Perspective Strong actions can provoke escalation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appeasement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appeasement/) [Dictator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictator/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) ## Related quotes > [The generous way of putting it is that we were not ready for this. The less generous way is to say: How was it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/the-generous-way-of-putting-it-is-that-we-were-not-ready-for-this-the/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [Modern man has been in search of a new language of form to satisfy new longings and aspirations - longings for mental appeasement, aspirations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/modern-man-has-been-in-search-of-a-new-language-of-form-to-satisfy/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [Now, the United States' response, the western response to this is a continuation of the appeasement that was started back in the '50s with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peikoff/now-the-united-states-response-the-western-response-to-this-is-a/) [Leonard Peikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peikoff/) > [If history teaches us anything, it teaches that simple-minded appeasement or wishful thinking about our adversaries is folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/if-history-teaches-us-anything-it-teaches-that-simple-minded/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You may gain temporary appeasement by a policy of concession to violence, but you do not gain lasting peace that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-eden/you-may-gain-temporary-appeasement-by-a-policy-of-concession-to/) [Anthony Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-eden/) > [Appeasement is a vote to live in the present tense, to hold the comforts of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/appeasement-is-a-vote-to-live-in-the-present-tense-to-hold-the/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22-out-of-30 top al-Qaida leaders who've been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement. Or whoever is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/ask-osama-bin-laden-and-the-22-out-of-30-top-al-qaida-leaders-who-ve/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [May I just single out for salutations, on the "anti-war" side: Pop Stars For Appeasement, Dancers Against Democracy, Actors For Apathy, Fashionistas For Fascism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/may-i-just-single-out-for-salutations-on-the-anti-war-side-pop-stars/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [The incentive to peacemaking is love, but it degenerates into appeasement whenever justice is ignored. To forgive and to ask for forgiveness are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-incentive-to-peacemaking-is-love-but-it-degenerates-into/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [There are some who, for varying reasons, would appease Red China. They are blind to history's clear lesson, for history teaches with unmistakable emphasis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/there-are-some-who-for-varying-reasons-would-appease-red-china-they/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [No man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/no-man-can-tame-a-tiger-into-a-kitten-by-stroking-it/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [It is time to change our policy of appeasement toward the Palestinians, to strengthen our ties with the nation of Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/it-is-time-to-change-our-policy-of-appeasement-toward-the/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [(I)t is simply wrong to confuse cowardice with appeasement. Cowardice is a failing of character. Appeasement is a failure of policy. Stalin appeased Hitler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/i-t-is-simply-wrong-to-confuse-cowardice-with-appeasement-cowardice/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [Appeasement, said Winston Churchill, consists of being nice to a crocodile in the hope that he will eat you last. At the moment, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/appeasement-said-winston-churchill-consists-of-being-nice-to-a/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [If it's to be a bloodbath, let it be now. Appeasement is not the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/if-it-s-to-be-a-bloodbath-let-it-be-now-appeasement-is-not-the-answer/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by George H. W. Bush > [America's freedom is the example to which the world expires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/america-s-freedom-is-the-example-to-which-the-world-expires/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I am not one who - who flamboyantly believes in throwing a lot of words around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-am-not-one-who-who-flamboyantly-believes-in-throwing-a-lot-of-words/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/be-bold-in-your-caring-and-be-bold-in-your-dreaming/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light...We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/we-can-find-meaning-and-reward-by-serving-some-higher-purpose-than/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [International exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/international-exchanges-are-not-a-great-tide-to-sweep-away-all/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Well, I think everybody is frustrated by the finances of the U.N. and the inability to solve problems of war and peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/well-i-think-everybody-is-frustrated-by-the-finances-of-the-u-n-and/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [No, I'm not anguished and tormented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/no-i-m-not-anguished-and-tormented/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [You know I vowed when I became President not to talk about the loneliest toughest job in the world and I didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/you-know-i-vowed-when-i-became-president-not-to-talk-about-the/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I think it's very hard to fight the war on terrorism if we're in retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-think-it-s-very-hard-to-fight-the-war-on-terrorism-if-we-re-in/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [I firmly believed we should not march into Baghdad ...To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/i-firmly-believed-we-should-not-march-into-baghdad-to-occupy-iraq/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [Ozone Man, Ozone. He's crazy, way out, far out, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/ozone-man-ozone-he-s-crazy-way-out-far-out-man/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [What's wrong with being a boring kind of guy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/what-s-wrong-with-being-a-boring-kind-of-guy/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The liberation of Kuwait has begun. In conjunction with the forces of our coalition partners, the United States has moved under the code name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-liberation-of-kuwait-has-begun-in-conjunction-with-the-forces-of/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [The United States will continue its efforts to improve our understanding of climate change - to seek hard data, accurate models, and new ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-united-states-will-continue-its-efforts-to-improve-our/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [If you believe that there's a being superior to yourself and that will guide you, strengthen you that helps a lot but, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/if-you-believe-that-there-s-a-being-superior-to-yourself-and-that/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) [Explore all 239 George H. W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) ## More 1930s quotes > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [My grandmother was a minister as well, which was not that common in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/my-grandmother-was-a-minister-as-well-which-was-not-that-common-in/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [It reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-reminds-me-in-some-ways-of-the-debate-taking-place-in-this-country/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As a result of the efforts of Hayek .. and the many others who share his general outlook, the idea of a centrally planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/as-a-result-of-the-efforts-of-hayek-and-the-many-others-who-share-his/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) > [When I was in Philadelphia during the Depression in 1930 or '31, I got a very sad job as a night watchman in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glazer/when-i-was-in-philadelphia-during-the-depression-in-1930-or-31-i-got/) [Tom Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glazer/) > [Working in 3D I didn't experience much of a difference, except that the cameras are very big so they can't be moved around with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frain/working-in-3d-i-didn-t-experience-much-of-a-difference-except-that/) [James Frain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frain/) > [Whatever the reasons may be, I was very much affected by events of the 1930s - the Spanish Civil War, for example, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whatever-the-reasons-may-be-i-was-very-much-affected-by-events-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We're a little bit low in the 1970s, right, post-Vietnam, Watergate era, malaise, all that, but this is more like the 1930s where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/we-re-a-little-bit-low-in-the-1970s-right-post-vietnam-watergate-era/) [Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/) > [In the immediate postwar era, financial crises in advanced countries were rare events, and before 1970 did not happen at all. Since then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-m-taylor/in-the-immediate-postwar-era-financial-crises-in-advanced-countries/) [Alan M. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-m-taylor/) > [I would not say that Harvard possesses any sort of absolute dominance. And I personally do not take the rankings of schools all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rosovsky/i-would-not-say-that-harvard-possesses-any-sort-of-absolute-dominance/) [Henry Rosovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rosovsky/) > [In the 1930s one was aware of two great evils - mass unemployment and the threat of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-meade/in-the-1930s-one-was-aware-of-two-great-evils-mass-unemployment-and/) [James Meade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-meade/) > [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. 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