--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most terrible struggle in our recent…" description: "\"“The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being played out. It is not only a struggle for our land, it is a struggle for our soul… A thousan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg" --- # The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being… ![“The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being played out. It is not only a struggle for our land, it is a struggle for our soul… A thousand years of tradition suffice for a nation to learn once and for always these two things: to defend its existence, and with all its heart and all its…” quote by Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg) > ““The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being played out. It is not only a struggle for our land, it is a struggle for our soul… A thousand years of tradition suffice for a nation to learn once and for always these two things: to defend its existence, and with all its heart and all its strength to stand on the side of peace and liberty.”” [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that a nation's survival depends on defending its existence and actively supporting peace and liberty, emphasizing the moral weight of such a struggle **In simple terms:** A nation must protect itself while championing peace and freedom Key Takeaway Defend your nation, uphold peace and liberty Themes national identity defense peace liberty morality Mood determined reflective Type political inspirational When to use this quote - political leadership - civil activism - education curricula - media discourse Key Concepts existential struggle collective responsibility historical memory Questions to Reflect On - How can a nation balance defense with peace? - What does “standing on the side of peace” mean in practice? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex geopolitical realities and ignore internal dissent ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Land Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land-struggle-4650404/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggle Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-land-4650405/) [Struggle Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-soul-1748803/) [Terrible Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-struggle-2782358/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) ## Related quotes > [The Clinton administration hated us, and it was a terrible struggle with them. I think that they felt if they didn't play, they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-hume/the-clinton-administration-hated-us-and-it-was-a-terrible-struggle/) [Brit Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-hume/) > [All unrest is but the struggle of the soul to reassure herself of her inborn immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/all-unrest-is-but-the-struggle-of-the-soul-to-reassure-herself-of-her/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [We have this terrible struggle to try to explain things to people who have no reason to want to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/we-have-this-terrible-struggle-to-try-to-explain-things-to-people-who/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Hope is the struggle of the soul, breaking loose from what is perishable, and attesting her eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/hope-is-the-struggle-of-the-soul-breaking-loose-from-what-is/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Is not one’s art made out of the struggle in one’s soul?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orna-ross/is-not-one-s-art-made-out-of-the-struggle-in-one-s-soul/) [Orna Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orna-ross/) > [Writing is a necessity and often a pleasure, but at the same time, it can be a great burden and a terrible struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/writing-is-a-necessity-and-often-a-pleasure-but-at-the-same-time-it/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Let us consider humanity a biogram (the basic DNA blueprint of the human organism and its potentials) united with a logogram (this set of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shea/let-us-consider-humanity-a-biogram-the-basic-dna-blueprint-of-the/) [Robert Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shea/) > [“Man is not a 'fixed and limited animal whose nature is absolutely constant'. He changed drastically when he developed 'divided consciousness' to cope with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-wilson/man-is-not-a-fixed-and-limited-animal-whose-nature-is-absolutely/) [Colin Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-wilson/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He still heard his mother's voice--"Davey"--rise like whisper-dust from unseen corners in the house, but it was no longer the only voice he heard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/he-still-heard-his-mother-s-voice-davey-rise-like-whisper-dust-from/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [“days of the earliest Church? I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [A thousand years may scare form a state. An hour may lay it in ruins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/a-thousand-years-may-scare-form-a-state-an-hour-may-lay-it-in-ruins/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/) [Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/) ## More by Karel Capek > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [We´re two, two for everything, for love, life, for a fight and pain, for hours of happiness. Two for wins and losses, for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/we-re-two-two-for-everything-for-love-life-for-a-fight-and-pain-for/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [I've found a place that would amaze you. People used to live there, but now it's all overgrown and no one goes there. Absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/i-ve-found-a-place-that-would-amaze-you-people-used-to-live-there-but/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“His life was now the life of a collector, and that gave it meaning. Evening after evening he would count and arrange his cuttings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/his-life-was-now-the-life-of-a-collector-and-that-gave-it-meaning/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“So you see. If only the Newts were fighting-men, then perhaps something might be done; but men against men - that, my friend, can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/so-you-see-if-only-the-newts-were-fighting-men-then-perhaps-something/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“Nobody can hate man more than man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/nobody-can-hate-man-more-than-man/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [People should be a little loony, Helena. That's the best thing about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/people-should-be-a-little-loony-helena-that-s-the-best-thing-about/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [The sole perfection which modern civilization attains is a mechanical one; machines are splendid and flawless, but the life which serves them or is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/the-sole-perfection-which-modern-civilization-attains-is-a-mechanical/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“It is a well–known fact that the greater a man is the less he has on his door–plate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/it-is-a-well-known-fact-that-the-greater-a-man-is-the-less-he-has-on/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Relativism is neither a method of fighting, nor a method of creating, for both of these are uncompromising and at times even ruthless; rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/relativism-is-neither-a-method-of-fighting-nor-a-method-of-creating/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [If one must fight or create, it is necessary that this be preceded by the broadest possible knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/if-one-must-fight-or-create-it-is-necessary-that-this-be-preceded-by/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“Well people are just one species too, aren't they. And it's never stopped them fighting with each other; all the same species and think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/well-people-are-just-one-species-too-aren-t-they-and-it-s-never/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“I had written the sentence, 'You mustn't think that the evolution that gave rise to us was the only evolutionary possibility on this planet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/i-had-written-the-sentence-you-mustn-t-think-that-the-evolution-that/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [It's not possible to search for God using the methods of a detective... There is no way. You can only wait till God's axe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/it-s-not-possible-to-search-for-god-using-the-methods-of-a-detective/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [“It is a foible of our human nature that when we have an extremely unpleasant experience, it gives us a peculiar satisfaction if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/it-is-a-foible-of-our-human-nature-that-when-we-have-an-extremely/) [Karel Čapek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) [Explore all 67 Karel Capek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being played out. It is not only a struggle for our land, it is a struggle for our soul… A thousand years of tradition suffice for a nation to learn once and for always these two things: to defend its existence, and with all its heart and all its strength to stand on the side of peace and liberty.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karel Capek" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent-history-is-being-played-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "History" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent-history-is-being-played-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/karel-capek-8739_history_the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent_2983440.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most terrible struggle in our recent history is being played out. It is not only a struggle for our…” — Karel Capek", "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": "Karel Capek", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The most terrible struggle in our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent-history-is-being-played-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/the-most-terrible-struggle-in-our-recent-history-is-being-played-out/#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 } } ] } ```