--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War should only be used for a policy…" description: "\"War should only be used for a policy worth its sacrifices.\" — Otto von Bismarck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b72/otto-von-bismarck-3444_peace_war-should-only-be-used-for-a-policy-wor_1313189.png" --- # War should only be used for a policy worth its sacrifices. ![“War should only be used for a policy worth its sacrifices.” quote by Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b72/otto-von-bismarck-3444_peace_war-should-only-be-used-for-a-policy-wor_1313189.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b72/otto-von-bismarck-3444_peace_war-should-only-be-used-for-a-policy-wor_1313189.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b72/otto-von-bismarck-3444_peace_war-should-only-be-used-for-a-policy-wor_1313189.png) > “War should only be used for a policy worth its sacrifices.” [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War should be employed only when a policy justifies its human and material costs. **In simple terms:** Use war only for policies worth the sacrifice. Key Takeaway Reserve war for truly essential goals. Themes ethics of war political strategy cost‑benefit analysis Mood serious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - national defense decisions - humanitarian interventions - policy debates Key Concepts just war theory statecraft moral calculus Questions to Reflect On - Is any policy truly worth such loss? - How can alternatives be evaluated? A Different Perspective War often causes unintended consequences beyond calculated sacrifices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Policy Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy-worth-916447/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sacrifices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifices/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-used-1419960/) [Worth it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-it/) [Worth Sacrifices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-sacrifices-1174913/) ## Related quotes > [“If you found that one person who is really worth the sacrifices, pain, and hardships then your efforts will not go to waste.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-agoncillo/if-you-found-that-one-person-who-is-really-worth-the-sacrifices-pain/) [Anna Agoncillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-agoncillo/) > [Honesty may not be the best policy, but it is worth trying once in a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/honesty-may-not-be-the-best-policy-but-it-is-worth-trying-once-in-a/) [Richard M. 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I prefer to learn from the experience of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/fools-learn-from-experience-i-prefer-to-learn-from-the-experience-of/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Earthly majesty is always akin to the fallen angel, who is proud and unhappy, beautiful but troubled, and whose plans and efforts, though vast,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/earthly-majesty-is-always-akin-to-the-fallen-angel-who-is-proud-and/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [“The Balkans aren't worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/the-balkans-aren-t-worth-the-life-of-a-single-pomeranian-grenadier/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/never-believe-anything-in-politics-until-it-has-been-officially-denied/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [The government should cultivate the view also among the propertyless classes of the population, those who are the most numerous and the least educated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/the-government-should-cultivate-the-view-also-among-the-propertyless/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/be-polite-write-diplomatically-even-in-a-declaration-of-war-one/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn't the slightest intention of carrying it out in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/when-a-man-says-he-approves-of-something-in-principle-it-means-he/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of-fear-of-death/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Fools you are who say you like to learn from your mistakes. 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