--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way anyone ever won a war, is to…" description: "\"“The only way anyone ever won a war, is to make the enemy hurt so bad that he can't stand it any more. ... George S. Patton”\" — George S. Patton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06e/george-s-patton-1770_enemy_the-only-way-anyone-ever-won-a-war-is-to_2531185.jpg" --- # The only way anyone ever won a war, is to make the enemy… ![“The only way anyone ever won a war, is to make the enemy hurt so bad that he can't stand it any more. ... George S. Patton” quote by George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06e/george-s-patton-1770_enemy_the-only-way-anyone-ever-won-a-war-is-to_2531185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06e/george-s-patton-1770_enemy_the-only-way-anyone-ever-won-a-war-is-to_2531185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06e/george-s-patton-1770_enemy_the-only-way-anyone-ever-won-a-war-is-to_2531185.jpg) > ““The only way anyone ever won a war, is to make the enemy hurt so bad that he can't stand it any more. ... George S. Patton”” [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning a war requires inflicting such overwhelming pain on the enemy that they can no longer continue fighting. **In simple terms:** Force the enemy to be unable to fight. Key Takeaway Apply decisive, overwhelming force. Themes war strategy psychology Mood determined intense Type military strategic When to use this quote - battlefield - siege - psychological warfare - deterrence Key Concepts military doctrine shock and awe human limits Questions to Reflect On - Is overwhelming force always the best option? - What are the moral costs of causing extreme suffering? A Different Perspective Overreliance on sheer force can ignore diplomatic solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-hurt-804806/) [George Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/george-patton/) [Hurt Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt-bad/) [Make Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-enemy-748155/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Your reactions to your enemy can hurt you more than your enemy can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-hurnard/your-reactions-to-your-enemy-can-hurt-you-more-than-your-enemy-can/) [Hannah Hurnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-hurnard/) > [You have enemies. For who can live on this earth without them? Take heed to yourselves: love them. In no way can your enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/you-have-enemies-for-who-can-live-on-this-earth-without-them-take/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [One enemy can do more hurt than ten friends can do good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/one-enemy-can-do-more-hurt-than-ten-friends-can-do-good/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [There is no enemy can hurt us but by our own hands. Satan could not hurt us, if our own corruption betrayed us not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/there-is-no-enemy-can-hurt-us-but-by-our-own-hands-satan-could-not/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) > [What good is a friend if you can't make an enemy of him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gillette/what-good-is-a-friend-if-you-can-t-make-an-enemy-of-him/) [William Gillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gillette/) > [“A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied 10 minutes later" Gen. George Patton,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-danley/a-good-solution-applied-with-vigor-now-is-better-than-a-perfect/) [Walter Danley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-danley/) > ['I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs, but how high he bounces when he hits bottom!' George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/i-don-t-measure-a-man-s-success-by-how-high-he-climbs-but-how-high-he-2/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [Live for something rather than die for nothing. —George Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/live-for-something-rather-than-die-for-nothing-george-patton/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [“A good plan violently executed today is better than a perfect plan executed tomorrow.” – GEORGE PATTON”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-thorpe/a-good-plan-violently-executed-today-is-better-than-a-perfect-plan/) [Scott Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-thorpe/) > [People are disgusted. They're disgusted with their politicians. They're disgusted with our trade deals. They're disgusted with the fact that the military can't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/people-are-disgusted-they-re-disgusted-with-their-politicians-they-re/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“While Middleton was in an inner office with the commander, his driver slumped in a chair outside to catch a few minutes’ sleep. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-willard-toland/while-middleton-was-in-an-inner-office-with-the-commander-his-driver/) [John Willard Toland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-willard-toland/) > [General George Patton, General Douglas MacArthur are spinning in their grave at the stupidity of what we're doing in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/general-george-patton-general-douglas-macarthur-are-spinning-in-their/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We have no George Pattons anymore. We have no Ulysses S. Grants. We have none of the swashbuckling generals that actually made things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/we-have-no-george-pattons-anymore-we-have-no-ulysses-s-grants-we-have/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [I'm a big fan of General Douglas MacArthur and General George Patton.We have a few generals that have been so incredible to me. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-a-big-fan-of-general-douglas-macarthur-and-general-george-patton/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by George S. Patton > [Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/wars-may-be-fought-with-weapons-but-they-are-won-by-men-it-is-the/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why America has never, and will never, lose a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/america-loves-a-winner-and-will-not-tolerate-a-loser-this-is-why/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [We must guard against becoming so engrossed in the specific nature of the roots and bark of the trees of knowledge as to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/we-must-guard-against-becoming-so-engrossed-in-the-specific-nature-of/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Successful generals make plans to fit circumstances, but do not try to create circumstances to fit plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/successful-generals-make-plans-to-fit-circumstances-but-do-not-try-to/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [There is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never listen to any fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/there-is-a-time-to-take-counsel-of-your-fears-and-there-is-a-time-to/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/watch-what-people-are-cynical-about-and-one-can-often-discover-what/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [In the space of two days I had evolved two plans, wholly distinct, both of which were equally feasible. The point I am trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/in-the-space-of-two-days-i-had-evolved-two-plans-wholly-distinct-both/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [The leader must be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/the-leader-must-be-an-actor/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Most battles are won before they are ever fought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/most-battles-are-won-before-they-are-ever-fought/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/discipline-must-be-a-habit-so-ingrained-that-it-is-stronger-than-the/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Battle... brings out all that is best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/battle-brings-out-all-that-is-best/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/sure-we-want-to-go-home-we-want-this-war-over-with-the-quickest-way/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision. That's the time to listen to every fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/the-time-to-take-counsel-of-your-fears-is-before-you-make-an/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [A man must know his destiny. if he does not recognize it, then he is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/a-man-must-know-his-destiny-if-he-does-not-recognize-it-then-he-is/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/urge-all-of-your-men-to-pray-not-alone-in-church-but-everywhere-pray/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) [Explore all 208 George S. Patton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) [A.K. Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-hasan/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. 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