Army Quote by Irwin Shaw
““When I went into the Army, I made up my mind that I was putting myself at the Army's disposal. I believe in the war. That doesn't mean I believe in the Army. I don't believe in any army. You don't expect justice out of an army, if you're a sensible, grown-up human being, you only expect victory. And if it comes to that, our Army is probably the most just one that ever existed. . . . I expected the Army to be corrupt, inefficient, cruel, wasteful, and it turned out to be all those things, just like all armies, only much less so than I thought before I got into it. It is much less corrupt, for example, than the German Army. Good for us. The victory we win will not be as good as it might be, if it were a different kind of army, but it will be the best kind of victory we can expect in this day and age, and I'm thankful for it.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Unspecified interview with Irwin Shaw, date unknown
The speaker distinguishes personal commitment to a cause from belief in the institution, acknowledging flaws yet seeing the army as relatively just and the best possible option currently
In simple terms: He supports the army despite its imperfections, seeing it as the most just available and the source of a limited but acceptable victory
Key Takeaway
Accept imperfect institutions if they are the best available, but remain critical and realistic
Themes
cynicism
institutional critique
realism
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- military service
- policy decisions
- ethical debates
- public discourse
- personal commitment
Key Concepts
ethical pragmatism
institutional analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What standards define a "just" army?
- How do we balance idealism with pragmatic acceptance?
A Different Perspective
The view may underestimate systemic issues and over‑value relative comparisons
![“I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect [Donald Trump], or then-president [Barack Obama]. But it's - I'm very clear. I voted for the change that put the Army Field Manual in place as a member of Congress. I understand that law very, very quickly and am also deeply aware…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/761/james-mattis-9515_army_i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-th_3990.jpg)
