---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't see no great difference atween…"
description: "\"I can't see no great difference atween givin' up territory afore a war, out of a dread of war, and givin' it up after a war, because we can't help it-u..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png"
---

#  I can't see no great difference atween givin' up territory…

![“I can't see no great difference atween givin' up territory afore a war, out of a dread of war, and givin' it up after a war, because we can't help it-unless it be that the last is the most manful and honourable.” quote by James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png)

> “I can't see no great difference atween givin' up territory afore a war, out of a dread of war, and givin' it up after a war, because we can't help it-unless it be that the last is the most manful and honourable.”

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Discusses whether surrendering territory before war is as honorable as after war, questioning moral equivalence.

**In simple terms:** Weighs honor of surrender before vs after war.

Key Takeaway

Consider timing of concessions.

Themes

honor war ethics

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- military negotiations
- peace treaties
- political debates

Key Concepts

political strategy morality

Questions to Reflect On

- When does conceding become honorable?
- Can peace be achieved without surrender?

A Different Perspective

Surrender may still be seen as weakness regardless of timing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dread/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Honourable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honourable/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Manful Honourable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manful-honourable-6108727/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Territory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/territory/) [Territory Afore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/territory-afore-6108728/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Dread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-dread-4292312/) [War Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-help-1021339/)

## Related quotes

> [One of my favorite vampire movies is 'Nosferatu,' which has a palpable sense of dread that's a pre-war dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-yelchin/one-of-my-favorite-vampire-movies-is-nosferatu-which-has-a-palpable/)

[Anton Yelchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-yelchin/)

> [Do not try and do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than you do it perfectly. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-lawrence/do-not-try-and-do-too-much-with-your-own-hands-better-the-arabs-do-it/)

[T. E. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-lawrence/)

> [“But what can women do in times of war? They help, they cheer, they inspire, and if their cause is lost they must accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/but-what-can-women-do-in-times-of-war-they-help-they-cheer-they/)

[Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/)

> [“Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-anderson/do-not-try-to-do-too-much-with-your-own-hands-better-the-arabs-do-it/)

[Scott Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-anderson/)

> [I'm not gonna stop till the war is over...Help me! there...ok...ok I'm so cold...just hold me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-morgan/i-m-not-gonna-stop-till-the-war-is-over-help-me-there-ok-ok-i-m-so/)

[Melissa Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-morgan/)

> [Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than you do it perfectly. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-lawrence/do-not-try-to-do-too-much-with-your-own-hands-better-the-arabs-do-it-3/)

[T. E. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-lawrence/)

> [Can any church help us to win a war? If you can't help us win a war, then please don't press us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/can-any-church-help-us-to-win-a-war-if-you-can-t-help-us-win-a-war/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [War is not the only means to stop war. Men of goodwill, who fully recognize their duties, should be able, with the assistance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-not-the-only-means-to-stop-war-men-of-goodwill-who-fully/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-lawrence/do-not-try-to-do-too-much-with-your-own-hands-better-the-arabs-do-it-2/)

[T. E. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-lawrence/)

> [Women are much more honourable than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/women-are-much-more-honourable-than-men/)

[Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/)

> [“Here people was once used to be honourable: now they are all bad; they have kept one goodness: that they are greatest boozers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-polo/here-people-was-once-used-to-be-honourable-now-they-are-all-bad-they/)

[Marco Polo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-polo/)

> [“Every country is a battlefield for the struggle between honest and dishonest, between honourable and honourless people! At the end, the character of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/every-country-is-a-battlefield-for-the-struggle-between-honest-and/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [Sometimes I wonder if people realise how beautiful and honourable I find it to play for my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/sometimes-i-wonder-if-people-realise-how-beautiful-and-honourable-i/)

[Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/)

> [Marriage is honourable, as you say; and if so, wherefore should Cuckoldom be a Discredit, being deriv'd from so honourable a Root?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/marriage-is-honourable-as-you-say-and-if-so-wherefore-should/)

[William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/)

> [I'm not saying that everything I did was right, but everything I did was for an honourable purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-m-not-saying-that-everything-i-did-was-right-but-everything-i-did/)

[Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/)

## More by James F. Cooper

> [There is a destiny in war, to which a brave man knows how to submit with the same courage that he faces his foes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/there-is-a-destiny-in-war-to-which-a-brave-man-knows-how-to-submit/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [It is a misfortune that necessity has induced men to accord greater license to this formidable engine, in order to obtain liberty, than can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/it-is-a-misfortune-that-necessity-has-induced-men-to-accord-greater/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being as comports with order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/individuality-is-the-aim-of-political-liberty-by-leaving-to-the/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [All greatness of character is dependent on individuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/all-greatness-of-character-is-dependent-on-individuality/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [The ability to discriminate between that which is true and that which is false is one of the last attainments of the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/the-ability-to-discriminate-between-that-which-is-true-and-that-which/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [Party leads to vicious, corrupt and unprofitable legislation, for the sole purpose of defeating party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/party-leads-to-vicious-corrupt-and-unprofitable-legislation-for-the/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [The disposition of all power is to abuses, nor does it at all mend the matter that its possessors are a majority. Unrestrained political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/the-disposition-of-all-power-is-to-abuses-nor-does-it-at-all-mend-the/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [The very existence of government at all, infers inequality. The citizen who is preferred to office becomes the superior of those who are not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/the-very-existence-of-government-at-all-infers-inequality-the-citizen/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [These families, you know, are our upper crust, not upper ten thousand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/these-families-you-know-are-our-upper-crust-not-upper-ten-thousand/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [The disposition of all power is to abuses, nor does it at all mend the matter that its possessors are a majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/the-disposition-of-all-power-is-to-abuses-nor-does-it-at-all-mend-the-2/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [It is seldom men think of death in the pride of their health and strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/it-is-seldom-men-think-of-death-in-the-pride-of-their-health-and/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [God has given the salt lick to the deer; and He has given to man, red-skin and white, the delicious spring at which to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/god-has-given-the-salt-lick-to-the-deer-and-he-has-given-to-man-red/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [In America the taint of sectarianism lies broad upon the land. Not content with acknowledging the supremacy as the Diety, and with erecting temples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/in-america-the-taint-of-sectarianism-lies-broad-upon-the-land-not-2/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [In America, it is indispensable that every well wisher of true liberty should understand that acts of tyranny can only proceed from the publick.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/in-america-it-is-indispensable-that-every-well-wisher-of-true-liberty/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [Slavery is no more sinful, by the Christian code, than it is sinful to wear a whole coat, while another is in tatters, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/slavery-is-no-more-sinful-by-the-christian-code-than-it-is-sinful-to/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

[Explore all 88 James F. Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

## More Differences quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/)

[Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/)

> [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/)

[M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Shortly after I turned 50, both Ted Turner and the AARP came into my life. The only difference? With AARP, there were benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/shortly-after-i-turned-50-both-ted-turner-and-the-aarp-came-into-my/)

[Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/)

> [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/)

[Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/)

> [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/)

[Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/)

> [There are those who open their hearts to others...who never think twice about giving of themselves. They are the wonderful warmhearted people who make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/there-are-those-who-open-their-hearts-to-others-who-never-think-twice/)

[Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/)

> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

[Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/)

> [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [When the President starts talking about something, it makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/when-the-president-starts-talking-about-something-it-makes-a/)

[Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/)

> [In a world shaped and colored more and more by politicians, the nations meet politically, and hardly any other way to settle their differences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-priestley/in-a-world-shaped-and-colored-more-and-more-by-politicians-the/)

[J. B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/)

[Browse all 8,110 Differences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I can't see no great difference atween givin' up territory afore a war, out of a dread of war, and givin' it up after a war, because we can't help it-unless it be that the last is the most manful and honourable.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James F. Cooper"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-givin-up-territory-afore-a-war/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Differences"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-givin-up-territory-afore-a-war/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27b/james-f-cooper-7716_differences_i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-g_3230352.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I can't see no great difference atween givin' up territory afore a war, out of a dread of war, and givin' it…” — James F. Cooper",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "James F. Cooper",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I can't see no great difference...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-givin-up-territory-afore-a-war/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/i-can-t-see-no-great-difference-atween-givin-up-territory-afore-a-war/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
