--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He told me that once, in the war, he’d…" description: "\"He told me that once, in the war, he’d come upon a German soldier in the grass with his insides falling out; he was just lying there in agony. The sold..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/libba-bray-259_agony_he-told-me-that-once-in-the-war-he-d-com_2255115.jpg" --- # He told me that once, in the war, he’d come upon a German… ![“He told me that once, in the war, he’d come upon a German soldier in the grass with his insides falling out; he was just lying there in agony. The soldier had looked up at Sergeant Leonard, and even though they didn’t speak the same language, they understood each other with just a look. The German…” quote by Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/libba-bray-259_agony_he-told-me-that-once-in-the-war-he-d-com_2255115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/libba-bray-259_agony_he-told-me-that-once-in-the-war-he-d-com_2255115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/libba-bray-259_agony_he-told-me-that-once-in-the-war-he-d-com_2255115.jpg) > “He told me that once, in the war, he’d come upon a German soldier in the grass with his insides falling out; he was just lying there in agony. The soldier had looked up at Sergeant Leonard, and even though they didn’t speak the same language, they understood each other with just a look. The German lying on the ground; the American standing over him. He put a bullet in the soldier’s head. He didn’t do it with anger, as an enemy, but as a fellow man, one soldier helping another.” [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A soldier shows compassion to an enemy wounded soldier, ending his suffering mercifully rather than vengefully. **In simple terms:** Compassion over revenge in war. Key Takeaway Show empathy even to foes. Themes compassion war humanity Mood somber reflective Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - battlefield - first aid - combat decision - psychological coping Key Concepts ethics mortality empathy Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to see an enemy as a fellow human? - How can compassion be balanced with duty? A Different Perspective Acts of mercy may conflict with military orders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) [Bullets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullets/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fellow man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellow-man/) [German Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/german-soldier-1072833/) [Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Man Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-soldier-645336/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Soldier Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier-helping-5166189/) [Soldier Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier-looked-367642/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“It was late; I’d been sleeping. I woke up to the sound of him crying. The ward was dark, with only the light from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/it-was-late-i-d-been-sleeping-i-woke-up-to-the-sound-of-him-crying/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [He didn't look like a soldier at all. He looked like a filthy flamingo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/he-didn-t-look-like-a-soldier-at-all-he-looked-like-a-filthy-flamingo/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Rostov was not listening to the soldier. He looked at the snowflakes dancing above the fire and remembered the Russian winter with a warm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rostov-was-not-listening-to-the-soldier-he-looked-at-the-snowflakes/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Take it off first, soldier." He looked at her suspiciously. "Take what off?" "Your clothes. Entertain the troops." "My clothes?" He frowned. "I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/take-it-off-first-soldier-he-looked-at-her-suspiciously-take-what-off/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I cannot understand a society that is more afraid of a man in a dress than a man in a soldier’s uniform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-nestle/i-cannot-understand-a-society-that-is-more-afraid-of-a-man-in-a-dress/) [Joan Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-nestle/) > [I am convinced that in times such as these, every man must be a soldier, in substance as well as in name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seishiro-itagaki/i-am-convinced-that-in-times-such-as-these-every-man-must-be-a/) [Seishiro Itagaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seishiro-itagaki/) > [No man is a man until he has been a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/no-man-is-a-man-until-he-has-been-a-soldier/) [Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [Very little changed fundamentally, except that the proud German soldier had turned into a defeated bundle of misery and the great German army had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grosz/very-little-changed-fundamentally-except-that-the-proud-german/) [George Grosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-grosz/) > [Every German soldier must be made to feel that he is living under the muzzle of a Russian gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-chuikov/every-german-soldier-must-be-made-to-feel-that-he-is-living-under-the/) [Vasily Chuikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-chuikov/) > [“We’re like one German soldier alone on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, holding a sharp stick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/we-re-like-one-german-soldier-alone-on-the-beaches-of-normandy-on-d/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [The German soldier has impressed the world, however the Italian Bersagliere soldier has impressed the German soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-rommel/the-german-soldier-has-impressed-the-world-however-the-italian/) [Erwin Rommel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-rommel/) > [“The New York Herald reported that a German soldier had been seen carrying a bagful of ears. Another newspaper accused Germany of melting down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-persico/the-new-york-herald-reported-that-a-german-soldier-had-been-seen/) [Joseph E. Persico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-e-persico/) > [He recalls what that first German soldier said to his major: No God-not yours or mine-approves of what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/he-recalls-what-that-first-german-soldier-said-to-his-major-no-god/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [I could not have the honour of being a German soldier because of my imprisonment in the First World War. And in this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-sauckel/i-could-not-have-the-honour-of-being-a-german-soldier-because-of-my/) [Fritz Sauckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritz-sauckel/) ## More by Libba Bray > [“I have never felt more ridiculous. If this is what it means to be a woman I am not the slightest bit interested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-have-never-felt-more-ridiculous-if-this-is-what-it-means-to-be-a/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There are no safe choices. Only other choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-are-no-safe-choices-only-other-choices/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“The King of Crows raked his fingers across the dark until it bled. He licked the blood from his fingers with a forked tongue.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-king-of-crows-raked-his-fingers-across-the-dark-until-it-bled-he/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [It is how it has always been. 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"I can spare more than that," I say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/spare-a-copper-for-our-cause-the-girl-with-the-coin-cup-asks-her/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [As one, they leap, laughing, and that is where we leave them - mouths open, arms spread wide, fingers splayed to take in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/as-one-they-leap-laughing-and-that-is-where-we-leave-them-mouths-open/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I am for hockey. I find I should like to hit something with a stick. -Gemma Doyle Trilogy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-am-for-hockey-i-find-i-should-like-to-hit-something-with-a-stick/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There are times when I wish I could go back and change the course of my life. Make different choices...But the past cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-are-times-when-i-wish-i-could-go-back-and-change-the-course-of/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Sexuality is not meant to be this way - an honest, consensual expression in which a girl might take an active role when she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/sexuality-is-not-meant-to-be-this-way-an-honest-consensual-expression/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There is no greater power on this earth than story.” Will paced the length of the room. “People think boundaries and borders build nations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-is-no-greater-power-on-this-earth-than-story-will-paced-the/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Heaven's brightest and best-loved angel, who was cast out for inspiring a rebellion against God. Having lost Heaven, Lucifer and his rebel angels vowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/heaven-s-brightest-and-best-loved-angel-who-was-cast-out-for/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“The light is so bright it hurts my eyes. But I don't dare close them. I won't. Instead, I try to adjust to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/the-light-is-so-bright-it-hurts-my-eyes-but-i-don-t-dare-close-them-i/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Miss Moore speaks slowly, deliberately. "I know because I read." She pulls back and stands, hands on hips, offering us a challenge. "May I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/miss-moore-speaks-slowly-deliberately-i-know-because-i-read-she-pulls/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Duff's little moans traveled up her spine, made her head buzz. And another thought grabbed hold: She was doing this. She had the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/duff-s-little-moans-traveled-up-her-spine-made-her-head-buzz-and/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) [Explore all 774 Libba Bray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) ## More Agony quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“aaron would not come out aaron entered into agony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/aaron-would-not-come-out-aaron-entered-into-agony/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [ “\[W\]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves-to-the-discovery-that-some-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [As we look upon that agony and those tearful prayers, let us not only look with thankfulness; but let that kneeling Saviour teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-maclaren/as-we-look-upon-that-agony-and-those-tearful-prayers-let-us-not-only/) [Alexander MacLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-maclaren/) > [Love masters agony; the soul that seemed Forsaken feels her present God again And in her Father's arms Contented dies away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keble/love-masters-agony-the-soul-that-seemed-forsaken-feels-her-present/) [John Keble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keble/) > [I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-have-seen-war-i-have-seen-war-on-land-and-sea-i-have-seen-blood/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [The cure is in the house, not brought by other hands from distant places, but by its own, in agony and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-cure-is-in-the-house-not-brought-by-other-hands-from-distant/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The young man shivered. He rolled the stock themes of fantasy over in his mind: cars and stockbrokers and commuters, housewives and police, agony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-young-man-shivered-he-rolled-the-stock-themes-of-fantasy-over-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Being ill like this combines shock - this time I will die - with a pain and agony that are unfamiliar, that wrench me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-brodkey/being-ill-like-this-combines-shock-this-time-i-will-die-with-a-pain/) [Harold Brodkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-brodkey/) > [One often learns more from ten days of agony than ten years of contentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-shain/one-often-learns-more-from-ten-days-of-agony-than-ten-years-of/) [Merle Shain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-shain/) > [There’s been a problem, a problem eating away at me from the inside out. I’ve become weak, I’ve shown human compassion, and it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane/there-s-been-a-problem-a-problem-eating-away-at-me-from-the-inside/) [Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane/) > [Pay special attention to their agony so I might take some pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/pay-special-attention-to-their-agony-so-i-might-take-some-pleasure/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Die, enemies of Ra!" Sekhemet yelled. "Perish in agony!" "She's almost as annoying as you," I told Horus. "Impossible," Horus said. "No one bests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/die-enemies-of-ra-sekhemet-yelled-perish-in-agony-she-s-almost-as/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) [Browse all 813 Agony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He told me that once, in the war, he’d come upon a German soldier in the grass with his insides falling out; he was just lying there in agony. The soldier had looked up at Sergeant Leonard, and even though they didn’t speak the same language, they understood each other with just a look. The German lying on the ground; the American standing over him. He put a bullet in the soldier’s head. 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