--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they…" description: "\"“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”\" — John Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg" --- # Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a… ![“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” quote by John Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg) > ““Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”” John Parker ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only when forced by conflict should violence be used; otherwise, peace should be pursued. **In simple terms:** War only when necessary. Key Takeaway Choose peace, reserve force for dire need. Themes war peace conflict ethics strategy Mood serious thoughtful Type political ethical strategic When to use this quote - diplomacy - conflict resolution - military planning - public policy Key Concepts political philosophy military ethics decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - When is force justified? - How can peace be maintained proactively? A Different Perspective Interpretation of “war” may vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-revolution/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Yep. A box of dicks, if you will. Actually, that’s how I got fired.” “What do you mean?” “I screwed up and had my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-march/yep-a-box-of-dicks-if-you-will-actually-that-s-how-i-got-fired-what/) [Meghan March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-march/) > [Chapter 2012. Page 1 of 365. Let's begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/chapter-2012-page-1-of-365-let-s-begin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let us begin in earnest to work out our salvation, for no one will do it for us, since even He Himself, Who made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mary-alacoque/let-us-begin-in-earnest-to-work-out-our-salvation-for-no-one-will-do/) [Margaret Mary Alacoque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mary-alacoque/) > [“Things couldn't end if she didn't let them begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-sotto/things-couldn-t-end-if-she-didn-t-let-them-begin/) [Samantha Sotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-sotto/) > [Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sy-miller-and-jill-jackson/let-there-be-peace-on-earth-and-let-it-begin-with-me/) Sy Miller And Jill Jackson > [“I want to be your end, but you gotta let it begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-want-to-be-your-end-but-you-gotta-let-it-begin/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/all-this-will-not-be-finished-in-the-first-one-hundred-days-nor-will/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“Just get it right, “it is not too late to dream”. You can do it now! This very moment, I mean right now! Let’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/just-get-it-right-it-is-not-too-late-to-dream-you-can-do-it-now-this/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [It only takes one person to make a change...Let it begin with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-thompson/it-only-takes-one-person-to-make-a-change-let-it-begin-with-you/) Joyce Thompson > [“And whatever anyone thinks or says, England didn't win this war. And Germany wouldn't have won it, either." "What do you mean?" "War wins."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-hope/and-whatever-anyone-thinks-or-says-england-didn-t-win-this-war-and/) [Anna Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-hope/) > [If we live long enough, we may even get over war. I imagine a time when somebody will mention the word war and everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-live-long-enough-we-may-even-get-over-war-i-imagine-a-time-when/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“You and pretty Tarquin had a moment today. Do you truly think he'll join us?' 'If you mean in bed, definitely not,' Rhys said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/you-and-pretty-tarquin-had-a-moment-today-do-you-truly-think-he-ll/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The wars of the future will be fought by computer technicians and by lawyers and high-altitude specialists, and that may mean war will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-wars-of-the-future-will-be-fought-by-computer-technicians-and-by/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [My fans are the best. I mean if there was a war, I think they'd definitely win just because they'd kill them with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/my-fans-are-the-best-i-mean-if-there-was-a-war-i-think-they-d/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [I'm at war fighting for the one that I love and the one that I truly need;i'm at war shawty I'll take bullet for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tynee-williams/i-m-at-war-fighting-for-the-one-that-i-love-and-the-one-that-i-truly/) [Tynee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tynee-williams/) ## More American revolution quotes > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [“Patriotism is a fierce love for the nation’s soul - its land, its people, its core, coupled with a burning contempt for a government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/njau-kihia/patriotism-is-a-fierce-love-for-the-nation-s-soul-its-land-its-people/) Njau Kihia > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [The shot heard round the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-shot-heard-round-the-world/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The two principles on which our conduct towards the Indians should be founded are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-two-principles-on-which-our-conduct-towards-the-indians-should-be/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Socially, politically, economically, militarily, culturally, racially, sexually, demographically, even mythologically, World War II was the crucible that forged modern America. It was the transforming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haynes-johnson/socially-politically-economically-militarily-culturally-racially/) Haynes Johnson > [But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/but-what-do-we-mean-by-the-american-revolution-do-we-mean-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/crouch-down-and-lick-the-hands-which-feed-you-may-your-chains-sit/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [“The British government in 1807 had issued the “Orders in Council,” which enforced a naval blockade against France, and with a shortage of seamen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-british-government-in-1807-had-issued-the-orders-in-council-which/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“There were counter-protests, of course, and in the end Mapplethorpe’s work was exhibited, but the message to the arts community was clear: stray too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/there-were-counter-protests-of-course-and-in-the-end-mapplethorpe-s/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [During the whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three sentences together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/during-the-whole-time-i-sat-with-him-in-congress-i-never-heard-him/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Wyoming got an Algonquian name from Pennsylvania meaning “large prairie,” but the adoption came only after a long fight. Decades before the settling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/wyoming-got-an-algonquian-name-from-pennsylvania-meaning-large/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Obama is now fighting for his life. He's fighting for a federal government. I believe in a federal government. I hope it sticks around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/obama-is-now-fighting-for-his-life-he-s-fighting-for-a-federal/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [But I'm a daughter of the American revolution, my grandpa fought in World War II, I have lots of family members who were in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/but-i-m-a-daughter-of-the-american-revolution-my-grandpa-fought-in/) [Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/) > [ “The important point of this report \[Montague, Massachusetts; July 7, 1774\] may be summed up in six resolutions: 1. We approve of the plan… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-pearson-pressey/the-important-point-of-this-report-montague-massachusetts-july-7-1774/) [Edward Pearson Pressey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-pearson-pressey/) [Browse all 329 American revolution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-revolution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Parker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parker/don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they-mean-to-have-a-war-let-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American revolution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parker/don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they-mean-to-have-a-war-let-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a98/john-parker-249553_american-revolution_don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they_1666968.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” — John Parker", "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": "John Parker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Don’t fire unless fired upon, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parker/don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they-mean-to-have-a-war-let-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parker/don-t-fire-unless-fired-upon-but-if-they-mean-to-have-a-war-let-it/#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 } } ] } ```