--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Should hostilities once break out between…" description: "\"Should hostilities once break out between Japan and the United States, it is not enough that we take Guam and the Philippines, nor even Hawaii and San ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/isoroku-yamamoto-16955_between_should-hostilities-once-break-out-betwee_128027.jpg" --- # Should hostilities once break out between Japan and the… ![“Should hostilities once break out between Japan and the United States, it is not enough that we take Guam and the Philippines, nor even Hawaii and San Francisco. We would have to march into Washington and sign the treaty in the White House.” quote by Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/isoroku-yamamoto-16955_between_should-hostilities-once-break-out-betwee_128027.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/isoroku-yamamoto-16955_between_should-hostilities-once-break-out-betwee_128027.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/isoroku-yamamoto-16955_between_should-hostilities-once-break-out-betwee_128027.jpg) > “Should hostilities once break out between Japan and the United States, it is not enough that we take Guam and the Philippines, nor even Hawaii and San Francisco. We would have to march into Washington and sign the treaty in the White House.” [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If war erupts, merely seizing territories is insufficient; a decisive strike on the enemy’s core is required for true victory. **In simple terms:** Taking islands isn’t enough; must attack the capital. Key Takeaway Target the opponent’s central power. Themes war strategy politics Mood grim strategic tense Type historical military When to use this quote - military planning - diplomatic negotiations - policy analysis - historical study Key Concepts geopolitics military doctrine deterrence psychological warfare Questions to Reflect On - Is a direct attack on a capital ethically justifiable? - What alternatives could achieve objectives with less bloodshed? A Different Perspective Such aggressive strategies risk massive civilian casualties and escalation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Between](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/between/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-japan-1476053/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/francisco/) [Guam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guam/) [Hawaii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hawaii/) [Hostilities Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hostilities-break-1476052/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) [March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/march/) [Nor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nor/) [Once](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Philippines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philippines/) [San](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Sign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign/) [Sign Treaty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign-treaty-1476051/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Treaty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treaty/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [Should hostilities once break out between Japan and the United States, it is not enough that we take Guam and the Philippines, nor even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/should-hostilities-once-break-out-between-japan-and-the-united-states-2/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [ We are natural partners \[with Japan\] in the world and the Far East, but the absence of a peace treaty does not allow us… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-are-natural-partners-with-japan-in-the-world-and-the-far-east-but/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [People don't like land mines, especially the survivors and the people who are living in the countries with them. 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We need another international airport for international cargo, international travel, international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-daley/we-are-going-to-sign-a-treaty-with-mexico-we-are-competing/) [Richard M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-daley/) > [My great uncle Pvt. Tommy Rooney, USMC, was killed on Guam during the Pacific Campaign in World War II. I was named after him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rooney/my-great-uncle-pvt-tommy-rooney-usmc-was-killed-on-guam-during-the/) [Tom Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rooney/) > [“That seductive aroma of unchecked power was more than enough to commit genocide and mass sexual assault while unashamedly carrying their nation’s flag draped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-b-dallocchio/that-seductive-aroma-of-unchecked-power-was-more-than-enough-to/) [M.B. Dallocchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-b-dallocchio/) > [Hawaii's the 50th state? I thought it was a suburb of Guam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-heenan/hawaii-s-the-50th-state-i-thought-it-was-a-suburb-of-guam/) [Bobby Heenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-heenan/) > [Atom bombs, something's wrong. D.E.A sent to Guam. Acid Trips, big fat chics. Purple Finstone Vitamins.All the needy rich are greedy. I find out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/atom-bombs-something-s-wrong-d-e-a-sent-to-guam-acid-trips-big-fat/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-johnson/my-fear-is-that-the-whole-island-will-become-so-overly-populated-that/) [Hank Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-johnson/) > [I don't think there's much chance that the North Koreans would attack Guam or any other territory out of the blue. They would only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-k-armstrong/i-don-t-think-there-s-much-chance-that-the-north-koreans-would-attack/) [Charles K. Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-k-armstrong/) > [If your Olympic Hero were to use the Worm in the 1996 Olympic Games, it would be so embarassing to all the other atheletes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-angle/if-your-olympic-hero-were-to-use-the-worm-in-the-1996-olympic-games/) [Kurt Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-angle/) > [We emigrated from South Korea to the island of Guam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-kim/we-emigrated-from-south-korea-to-the-island-of-guam/) [Young Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-kim/) > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) ## More by Isoroku Yamamoto > [You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/you-cannot-invade-the-mainland-united-states-there-would-be-a-rifle/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [I sincerely desire to be appointed Commander in Chief of the air fleet to attack Pearl Harbor so that I may personally command that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/i-sincerely-desire-to-be-appointed-commander-in-chief-of-the-air/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [The fate of the Empire rests on this enterprise. Every man must devote himself totally to the task in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/the-fate-of-the-empire-rests-on-this-enterprise-every-man-must-devote/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [Even though there wasn't much damage, it's a disgrace that the skies over the imperial capital should have been defiled without a single enemy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/even-though-there-wasn-t-much-damage-it-s-a-disgrace-that-the-skies/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [Japan has always regarded the aircraft carrier as one of the most offensive of armaments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/japan-has-always-regarded-the-aircraft-carrier-as-one-of-the-most/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [I entered the navy with the great ambition of becoming a naval soldier and going to war. Either I die from this festering wound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/i-entered-the-navy-with-the-great-ambition-of-becoming-a-naval/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [A military man can scarcely pride himself on having smitten a sleeping enemy; it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/a-military-man-can-scarcely-pride-himself-on-having-smitten-a/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [In the first six to twelve months of a war with the United States and Great Britain I will run wild and win victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/in-the-first-six-to-twelve-months-of-a-war-with-the-united-states-and/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [Although a precise outlook on the international situation is hard for anyone to make, it is needless to say that now the time has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/although-a-precise-outlook-on-the-international-situation-is-hard-for/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [You cannot invade mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/you-cannot-invade-mainland-united-states-there-would-be-a-rifle/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [A military man can scarcely pride himself on having 'smitten a sleeping enemy'; it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/a-military-man-can-scarcely-pride-himself-on-having-smitten-a-2/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [I was once the captain of Akagi, and it is with heartfelt regret that I must now order that she be sunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/i-was-once-the-captain-of-akagi-and-it-is-with-heartfelt-regret-that/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [Today, as chief Of the guardians of the seas Of the land of the dawn, I gaze up with awe At the rising sun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/today-as-chief-of-the-guardians-of-the-seas-of-the-land-of-the-dawn-i/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [A man of real purpose puts his faith in himself always. Sometimes he refuses even to put his faith in the gods. So from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/a-man-of-real-purpose-puts-his-faith-in-himself-always-sometimes-he/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [I'm against war with the United States. But I am an officer of the Imperial Navy and a subject of His Majesty the Emperor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/i-m-against-war-with-the-united-states-but-i-am-an-officer-of-the/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) [Explore all 38 Isoroku Yamamoto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) ## More Between quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. 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