--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any military man will tell you that the…" description: "\"“Any military man will tell you that the way to pull two divided groups together is to give them a common enemy. This is what Hitler did, when he came ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/jodi-picoult-45_common-enemy_any-military-man-will-tell-you-that-the_894946.jpg" --- # Any military man will tell you that the way to pull two… ![“Any military man will tell you that the way to pull two divided groups together is to give them a common enemy. This is what Hitler did, when he came to power in 1933 as chancellor.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/jodi-picoult-45_common-enemy_any-military-man-will-tell-you-that-the_894946.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/jodi-picoult-45_common-enemy_any-military-man-will-tell-you-that-the_894946.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a95/jodi-picoult-45_common-enemy_any-military-man-will-tell-you-that-the_894946.jpg) > ““Any military man will tell you that the way to pull two divided groups together is to give them a common enemy. This is what Hitler did, when he came to power in 1933 as chancellor.”” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uniting groups through a shared adversary simplifies conflict but also manipulates fear and loyalty. **In simple terms:** Common enemies can bring people together. Key Takeaway Beware of divisive tactics. Themes politics conflict psychology leadership manipulation Mood cautionary analytical Type political psychological When to use this quote - political campaigns - team building - conflict resolution workshops Key Concepts social cohesion enemy framing group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When have you seen a common enemy used to unite people? - What are healthier ways to foster unity? A Different Perspective Such tactics can backfire and deepen division. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-enemy/) [Divided Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided-groups-384053/) [Enemy Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-hitler-1185952/) [Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitler/) [Hitler Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitler-did-455849/) [Military man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-man/) [The-storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-storyteller/) ## Related quotes > [“He knows what will upset me before it even happens and like a superhero, bends the track of the runaway train before it strikes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/he-knows-what-will-upset-me-before-it-even-happens-and-like-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“What must you break apart in order to bring a family close together? Bread, of course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/what-must-you-break-apart-in-order-to-bring-a-family-close-together/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“a story will tell itself, when it’s ready.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/a-story-will-tell-itself-when-it-s-ready/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The world still consists of two clearly divided groups: the English and the foreigners. One group consists of less than 50 million people; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-world-still-consists-of-two-clearly-divided-groups-the-english/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [People who read me seem to be divided into four groups: twenty-five percent like me for the right reasons; twenty-five percent like me for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/people-who-read-me-seem-to-be-divided-into-four-groups-twenty-five/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“And thus, the forms of life throughout the universe become divided into groups subordinate to groups.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/and-thus-the-forms-of-life-throughout-the-universe-become-divided/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Journalists are divided into two groups: those who live by ethics, and those who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manfred-gerstenfeld/journalists-are-divided-into-two-groups-those-who-live-by-ethics-and/) [Manfred Gerstenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manfred-gerstenfeld/) > [People can be divided into three groups: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/people-can-be-divided-into-three-groups-those-who-make-things-happen/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [“the way to pull a divided group together is to give them a common enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-way-to-pull-a-divided-group-together-is-to-give-them-a-common/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Anna took his hand to gauge the swelling. 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My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Common enemy quotes > [“Instead of recognizing the State as “the common enemy of all well-disposed, industrious and decent men,” the run of mankind, with rare exceptions, regards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-jay-nock/instead-of-recognizing-the-state-as-the-common-enemy-of-all-well/) [Albert Jay Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-jay-nock/) > [We followed the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, who is the boss. And we don't waste a lot of time arguin' about a dead black man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-followed-the-honorable-elijah-mohammed-who-is-the-boss-and-we-don/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Christians are supposed to love each other. Communists are supposed to share bonds with all proletarians and other communists. Every ideological group proclaims universality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-north/christians-are-supposed-to-love-each-other-communists-are-supposed-to/) [Gary North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-north/) > [My opinion was that if we had a common enemy we should get together commonly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-opinion-was-that-if-we-had-a-common-enemy-we-should-get-together/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will give you my definition of a nation, and you can add the adjective 'Jewish.' A Nation is, in my mind, an historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/i-will-give-you-my-definition-of-a-nation-and-you-can-add-the/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [“If, instead of Wainwright's question, we ask 'What were the Picts?', the answer is very simple. They were a nation created by the union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-a-cummins/if-instead-of-wainwright-s-question-we-ask-what-were-the-picts-the/) [W.A. Cummins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-a-cummins/) > [“The problem with 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend,' is that once the common enemy is gone, you usually end up fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/the-problem-with-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-is-that-once-the/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [“And for you, Your Highness?” Kaltain said coyly. A concealed edge lingered beneath her voice. Mischief coiled and sprang within her, but Dorian answered.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/and-for-you-your-highness-kaltain-said-coyly-a-concealed-edge/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Give people a common enemy, and you will give them a common identity. Deprive them of an enemy and you will deprive them of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alison/give-people-a-common-enemy-and-you-will-give-them-a-common-identity/) [James Alison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alison/) > [It is in fact no exaggeration to say that we live in terror that Senator McCarthy will one day make some irreparable blunder that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/it-is-in-fact-no-exaggeration-to-say-that-we-live-in-terror-that/) [Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/) > [Instead of recognizing the State as ‘the common enemy of all well-disposed, industrious and decent men,’ the run of mankind, with rare exceptions, regards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/instead-of-recognizing-the-state-as-the-common-enemy-of-all-well-2/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [“Vault: Learning how to keep confidences, to recognize what's ours to share and what's not. 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