--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of whatever class or nation, however, all…" description: "\"Of whatever class or nation, however, all successful participants in the repetitive and unrelenting stress of aerial fighting came eventually to displa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/john-keegan-14504_bones_of-whatever-class-or-nation-however-all_1822635.jpg" --- # Of whatever class or nation, however, all successful… ![“Of whatever class or nation, however, all successful participants in the repetitive and unrelenting stress of aerial fighting came eventually to display its characteristic physiognomy: skeletal hands, sharpened noses, tight-drawn cheek bones, the bared teeth of a rictus smile and the fixed…” quote by John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/john-keegan-14504_bones_of-whatever-class-or-nation-however-all_1822635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/john-keegan-14504_bones_of-whatever-class-or-nation-however-all_1822635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa4/john-keegan-14504_bones_of-whatever-class-or-nation-however-all_1822635.jpg) > “Of whatever class or nation, however, all successful participants in the repetitive and unrelenting stress of aerial fighting came eventually to display its characteristic physiognomy: skeletal hands, sharpened noses, tight-drawn cheek bones, the bared teeth of a rictus smile and the fixed, narrowed gaze of men in a state of controlled fear.” [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes the physical and psychological traits of aerial combatants under extreme stress. **In simple terms:** Aerial fighters show distinct stress signs. Key Takeaway Recognize stress markers in high‑risk roles. Themes war stress humanity Mood somber analytical Type military psychological When to use this quote - pilot training - combat debriefs - mental health support Key Concepts psychology military history physiology Questions to Reflect On - How does stress manifest differently across individuals? - What support mitigates combat stress? A Different Perspective Physical traits may not capture internal experience fully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aerial Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aerial-fighting-2207551/) [Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones/) [Characteristic Physiognomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristic-physiognomy-2207552/) [Characteristics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Controlled Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlled-fear-2207553/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Fighting Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-came-960981/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Noses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noses/) [Physiognomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physiognomy/) [Repetitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repetitive/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Stress Aerial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress-aerial-2207554/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [The air is an extremely dangerous, jealous and exacting mistress. 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A man's style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/style-style-why-all-writers-will-tell-you-that-it-is-the-very-thing/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [“When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought, “Wow, I love every single thing about this face of mine”? This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-rosetree/when-was-the-last-time-you-looked-in-the-mirror-and-thought-wow-i/) [Rose Rosetree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-rosetree/) > [Physiognomy is not a guide that has been given us by which to judge of the character of men: it may only serve us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/physiognomy-is-not-a-guide-that-has-been-given-us-by-which-to-judge/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [There is a certain physiognomy in manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cook/there-is-a-certain-physiognomy-in-manners/) [Joseph Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-cook/) > [PHYSIOGNOMY, n. The art of determining the character of another by the resemblances and differences between his face and our own, which is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/physiognomy-n-the-art-of-determining-the-character-of-another-by-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More by John Keegan > [We forget today that Britain still depends for its livelihood and, indeed, its day-to-day survival, on the sea. 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Islam was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/the-islam-of-the-18th-19th-and-first-half-of-the-20th-century-was-a/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [Well, if they are trying to kill you, on the whole they're the people you have to kill, aren't they?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/well-if-they-are-trying-to-kill-you-on-the-whole-they-re-the-people/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [“Less than twenty years after the end of the Great War, the ‘war to end wars’ as it had come to be called at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/less-than-twenty-years-after-the-end-of-the-great-war-the-war-to-end/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [I think Americans like the practical; they like the human. And I like both those things myself, and I try and put them into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/i-think-americans-like-the-practical-they-like-the-human-and-i-like/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [“The ANZACs, clinging lost and leaderless to the hillsides, began, as the hot afternoon gave way to grey drizzle, to experience their martyrdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/the-anzacs-clinging-lost-and-leaderless-to-the-hillsides-began-as-the/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [The leader of men in warfare can show himself to his followers only through a mask, a mask that he must make for himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/the-leader-of-men-in-warfare-can-show-himself-to-his-followers-only/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [“Rundstedt, revered throughout the German regular officer corps as its last archetypal Prussian, refused to deal with detail or to look at small-scale maps,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/rundstedt-revered-throughout-the-german-regular-officer-corps-as-its/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) [Explore all 46 John Keegan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) ## More Bones quotes > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“We are preaching hope, standing on the bones of the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rucyahana/we-are-preaching-hope-standing-on-the-bones-of-the-past/) [John Rucyahana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rucyahana/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. 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To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. 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