--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dig trenches? With our men being killed…" description: "\"Dig trenches? With our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made.\" — Groucho Marx" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/groucho-marx-788_crazy_dig-trenches-with-our-men-being-killed-o_851273.jpg" --- # Dig trenches? With our men being killed off like flies?… ![“Dig trenches? With our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made.” quote by Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/groucho-marx-788_crazy_dig-trenches-with-our-men-being-killed-o_851273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/groucho-marx-788_crazy_dig-trenches-with-our-men-being-killed-o_851273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c4/groucho-marx-788_crazy_dig-trenches-with-our-men-being-killed-o_851273.jpg) > “Dig trenches? With our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made.” [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In desperate wartime, improvisation replaces preparation, suggesting shortcuts over proper planning. **In simple terms:** When pressed, people may skip essential work for quick fixes. Key Takeaway Plan ahead, don't rely on shortcuts. Themes war improvisation strategy resourcefulness Mood sarcastic critical humorous Type satirical commentary. When to use this quote - battlefield - emergency response - project deadlines - budget constraints - rapid prototyping Key Concepts military logistics decision making risk management Questions to Reflect On - Is a quick fix worth the risk? - When should you prioritize preparation? A Different Perspective Shortcuts can lead to failure if fundamentals are ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trenches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trenches/) ## Related quotes > [We started at once to dig our trenches, half of my platoon stepping forward abreast, the men being placed an arm's length apart. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-kreisler/we-started-at-once-to-dig-our-trenches-half-of-my-platoon-stepping/) [Fritz Kreisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-kreisler/) > [People only buy when they're ready to buy. Not when you're ready to sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drayton-bird/people-only-buy-when-they-re-ready-to-buy-not-when-you-re-ready-to/) [Drayton Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drayton-bird/) > [“The problem had been evident from the moment the first Tommy tried to pull himself out of the trench by gripping a rotted sandbag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-persico/the-problem-had-been-evident-from-the-moment-the-first-tommy-tried-to/) [Joseph E. Persico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-e-persico/) > [Why was I with her? She reminds me of you. In fact, she reminds me more of you than you do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-was-i-with-her-she-reminds-me-of-you-in-fact-she-reminds-me-more/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [As soon as I get through with you, you'll have a clear case for divorce and so will my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/as-soon-as-i-get-through-with-you-you-ll-have-a-clear-case-for/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Here's to our wives and girlfriends...may they never meet!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/here-s-to-our-wives-and-girlfriends-may-they-never-meet/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“We have first seized the front line of trenches, then the second and the third, and our adversary, shut up in his retreat, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corneliu-zelea-codreanu/we-have-first-seized-the-front-line-of-trenches-then-the-second-and/) [Corneliu Zelea Codreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corneliu-zelea-codreanu/) > [Media over here, coming to ya like a world premiere. Trench coat and my underwear, let's go with this freak show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/media-over-here-coming-to-ya-like-a-world-premiere-trench-coat-and-my/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [India lives in several centuries at the same time. Every night outside my house I pass a road gang of emaciated laborers digging a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/india-lives-in-several-centuries-at-the-same-time-every-night-outside/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“In my mind, I could sense their roots under the soil, creeping in helical tangles of ever-increasing complexity outward and in all directions—out beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/in-my-mind-i-could-sense-their-roots-under-the-soil-creeping-in/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [If the head man in a company is not working 12 hours a day, doing things, taking risks, but also standing with his people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/if-the-head-man-in-a-company-is-not-working-12-hours-a-day-doing/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [I’ve always been a sort of self-imposed outsider, not a geeky outsider or a snobby outsider but, I just have a natural desire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-quin/i-ve-always-been-a-sort-of-self-imposed-outsider-not-a-geeky-outsider/) [Sara Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-quin/) > [When I joined the Army in the late '70s, there was a real threat from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, so all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-strawbridge/when-i-joined-the-army-in-the-late-70s-there-was-a-real-threat-from/) [Dick Strawbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-strawbridge/) > [I realize that my opinion is my opinion, not everybody has to believe it and I never tried to shove anything down anyone's throat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-finkelstein/i-realize-that-my-opinion-is-my-opinion-not-everybody-has-to-believe/) [Bernie Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-finkelstein/) > [ I always resented Tom \[Hardy\] for turning up on Band Of Brothers and getting the girl — in fact, the only girl in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-always-resented-tom-hardy-for-turning-up-on-band-of-brothers-and/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) ## More by Groucho Marx > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Television is where you watch people in your living room that you would not want near your house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/television-is-where-you-watch-people-in-your-living-room-that-you/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [ He \[Groucho's father\] had absolutely no training, and if you had ever seen one of his suits, you'd realize what an accurate statement that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/he-groucho-s-father-had-absolutely-no-training-and-if-you-had-ever/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Women should be obscene and not heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/women-should-be-obscene-and-not-heard/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Why would I want to join an organization that would encourage people like myself to become members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/why-would-i-want-to-join-an-organization-that-would-encourage-people/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and that's not saying much for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/you-re-the-most-beautiful-woman-i-ve-ever-seen-and-that-s-not-saying/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [The only game I like to play is "Old Maid", providing she's not too old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/the-only-game-i-like-to-play-is-old-maid-providing-she-s-not-too-old/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/who-are-you-going-to-believe-me-or-your-own-eyes/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [My favourite poem is the one that starts 'Thirty days hath September' because it actually tells you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/my-favourite-poem-is-the-one-that-starts-thirty-days-hath-september/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Afraid? Me? A man who's licked his weight in wild caterpillars?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/afraid-me-a-man-who-s-licked-his-weight-in-wild-caterpillars/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I hate London when it's not raining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-hate-london-when-it-s-not-raining/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/i-never-forget-a-face-but-in-your-case-i-ll-be-glad-to-make-an/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/let-there-be-dancing-in-the-streets-drinking-in-the-saloons-and/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [If women dressed for men, the stores wouldn't sell much - just an occasional sun visor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/if-women-dressed-for-men-the-stores-wouldn-t-sell-much-just-an/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) [Explore all 366 Groucho Marx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) ## More Crazy quotes > [Im wild Im crazy, I'm wild, Im crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dot-dot-curve/im-wild-im-crazy-i-m-wild-im-crazy/) Dot Dot Curve > [We instantly believe everything we think. 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