--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course war is horrible, but at present…" description: "\"Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the only guarantee of peace.\" — Jimi Hendrix" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg" --- # Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the… ![“Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the only guarantee of peace.” quote by Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg) > “Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the only guarantee of peace.” [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is presented as a paradoxical instrument: despite its horror, it is viewed as the only way to secure lasting peace in the current context. **In simple terms:** Violence is seen as a necessary evil for peace. Key Takeaway Peace may require conflict. Themes war peace paradox political philosophy Mood cynical reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - post‑war reconstruction - deterrence strategies - national security debates Key Concepts realpolitik ethical trade‑offs Practical Applications - policy analysis - conflict resolution training Questions to Reflect On - Can peace be achieved without war? - What defines a "guarantee" of peace? A Different Perspective The claim ignores non‑violent alternatives and the long‑term costs of war. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [These measures may not constitute an absolute guarantee of peace, but, in my opinion, they constitute the greatest preventive measures ever adopted by nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/these-measures-may-not-constitute-an-absolute-guarantee-of-peace-but/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) > [“If it would help humanity or the course of the War by so much as one iota, I would gladly sit all day long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-dickinson-rich/if-it-would-help-humanity-or-the-course-of-the-war-by-so-much-as-one/) [Louise Dickinson Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-dickinson-rich/) > [War is horrible because it strangles youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kearny/war-is-horrible-because-it-strangles-youth/) [Philip Kearny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kearny/) > [I was after a set of pictures, so that when people looked at them they would say, ‘This is war’-that the people who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-eugene-smith/i-was-after-a-set-of-pictures-so-that-when-people-looked-at-them-they/) [W. Eugene Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-eugene-smith/) > [War is horrible no matter what. There's going to be atrocities, there's going to be horrible things that happen in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-hoffman/war-is-horrible-no-matter-what-there-s-going-to-be-atrocities-there-s/) Mike Hoffman > [In view of the result of attained at the Washington Treaty which, my advisors believe, guarantee peace in the Pacific for some time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/1st-baron-forster-henry-forster/in-view-of-the-result-of-attained-at-the-washington-treaty-which-my/) 1st Baron Forster Henry Forster > [The dustbin of history is littered with remains of those countries that relied on diplomacy to secure their freedom. We must never forget .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-dustbin-of-history-is-littered-with-remains-of-those-countries/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/it-is-good-that-war-is-so-horrible-or-we-might-grow-to-like-it/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [National Defense is not a threat to peace; it is the guarantee of peace with freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/national-defense-is-not-a-threat-to-peace-it-is-the-guarantee-of/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [That men should kill one another for want of somewhat else to do, which is the case of all volunteers in war, seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/that-men-should-kill-one-another-for-want-of-somewhat-else-to-do/) [Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/) > [I find by my calculations, which are according to revealed inspiration, that the sword of death is now approaching us, in the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nostradamus/i-find-by-my-calculations-which-are-according-to-revealed-inspiration/) [Nostradamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nostradamus/) > [War is horrible, but slavery is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/war-is-horrible-but-slavery-is-worse/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“I remember still how full of bad magic all those spearpoints to be put on the ends of rifles seemed to be. One was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-remember-still-how-full-of-bad-magic-all-those-spearpoints-to-be/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [A war is a horrible thing, but it's also a unifier of countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/a-war-is-a-horrible-thing-but-it-s-also-a-unifier-of-countries/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Friendship is the only cure for hatred, the only guarantee of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-is-the-only-cure-for-hatred-the-only-guarantee-of-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jimi Hendrix > [Don't let your imagination take you by surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/don-t-let-your-imagination-take-you-by-surprise/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [You've got to know what goes between the notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/you-ve-got-to-know-what-goes-between-the-notes/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Well, obviously religion must come from inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/well-obviously-religion-must-come-from-inside/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [If there's a new idea, a new invention, or a new gas, or a new whatever you know, It should be brought at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/if-there-s-a-new-idea-a-new-invention-or-a-new-gas-or-a-new-whatever/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [We take our last look at the killing noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/we-take-our-last-look-at-the-killing-noise/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Purple haze all in my eyes, don't know if it's day or night. You got me blowin', blowin' my mind. Is it tomorrow or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/purple-haze-all-in-my-eyes-don-t-know-if-it-s-day-or-night-you-got-me/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-wish-they-d-had-electric-guitars-in-cotton-fields-back-in-the-good/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [So you want to be married, oh baby, trying to put me on a chain, ain't that some shame? You must be losing your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/so-you-want-to-be-married-oh-baby-trying-to-put-me-on-a-chain-ain-t/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [We have time, there's no big rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/we-have-time-there-s-no-big-rush/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I dig Strauss and Wagner. Those cats are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-dig-strauss-and-wagner-those-cats-are-good/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/knowledge-speaks-but-wisdom-listens/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [All I'm writing is just what I feel, that's all. I just keep it almost naked. And probably the words are so bland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/all-i-m-writing-is-just-what-i-feel-that-s-all-i-just-keep-it-almost/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [This morning came on to me, silver wings silhouetted against the child's sunrise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/this-morning-came-on-to-me-silver-wings-silhouetted-against-the-child/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [I guess it would be if I wanted to, just lay back and predominantly write songs when I can't go on a stage anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/i-guess-it-would-be-if-i-wanted-to-just-lay-back-and-predominantly/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [As you well know, you just can't believe everything you see and hear, can you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/as-you-well-know-you-just-can-t-believe-everything-you-see-and-hear/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) [Explore all 236 Jimi Hendrix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) ## More Courses quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [ Bernie \[Ecclestone\] is the commercial rights holder so the more outgoing the champion is, the better. Of course. I also do think about our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-rights-holder-so-the-more/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I earn my living by teaching film, mostly filmmaking but also teaching courses on current cinema. I'm interested in movies. I hope that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/i-earn-my-living-by-teaching-film-mostly-filmmaking-but-also-teaching/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Of course it does on opening night, but I've never had that devastating stage fright that some people get, but apparently, you can develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/of-course-it-does-on-opening-night-but-i-ve-never-had-that/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [I studied philosophy and ended on sociology. For some reason, all the advanced courses in philosophy were offered 4:30 to 6:30, so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/i-studied-philosophy-and-ended-on-sociology-for-some-reason-all-the/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) > [There is no one who can change My course or affect My conduct to the slightest extent. I am the Master over all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/there-is-no-one-who-can-change-my-course-or-affect-my-conduct-to-the/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [In the course of our eternal existence, we spend infinitely more time in the spirit world on the other side than we spend in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/in-the-course-of-our-eternal-existence-we-spend-infinitely-more-time/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) Browse all 6,995 Courses quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the only guarantee of peace.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimi Hendrix" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present-it-s-still-the-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courses" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present-it-s-still-the-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/jimi-hendrix-1491_courses_of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present_123919.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Of course war is horrible, but at present it's still the only guarantee of peace.” — Jimi Hendrix", "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": "Jimi Hendrix", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Of course war is horrible, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present-it-s-still-the-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/of-course-war-is-horrible-but-at-present-it-s-still-the-only/#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 } } ] } ```