--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [General James Mattis] said, reading…" description: "\"[General James Mattis] said, reading allows you to learn from other people's mistakes without filling body bags with the bodies of your soldiers as you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-r-mansoor-34309_bags_general-james-mattis-said-reading-allows_2884316.jpg" --- # \[General James Mattis\] said, reading allows you to learn… ![“[General James Mattis] said, reading allows you to learn from other people's mistakes without filling body bags with the bodies of your soldiers as you learn on the battlefield.” quote by Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-r-mansoor-34309_bags_general-james-mattis-said-reading-allows_2884316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-r-mansoor-34309_bags_general-james-mattis-said-reading-allows_2884316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-r-mansoor-34309_bags_general-james-mattis-said-reading-allows_2884316.jpg) > “\[General James Mattis\] said, reading allows you to learn from other people's mistakes without filling body bags with the bodies of your soldiers as you learn on the battlefield.” [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Studying others' mistakes saves lives and resources in warfare. **In simple terms:** Learn from others' errors. Key Takeaway Study history to avoid repeat mistakes. Themes learning military strategy risk management Mood analytical thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - military planning - leadership training - policy making Key Concepts history education Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can civilians learn from military history? - How do you apply past mistakes to current challenges? A Different Perspective Historical contexts differ; lessons may not transfer directly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battlefields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battlefields/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [General james mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-james-mattis/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) ## Related quotes > [Barack Obama has done more than anyone else to promote the dangerous illusion that we can choose whether to have a war or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/barack-obama-has-done-more-than-anyone-else-to-promote-the-dangerous/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I'm rebuilding the military. We have great people. We have tremendous borders. I mention the F-35 because if I can save $725 million —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-rebuilding-the-military-we-have-great-people-we-have-tremendous/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Michele Flournoy, by the way, is not just a talented and bright person. She was Hillary Clinton's secretary of defense in-waiting. So for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/michele-flournoy-by-the-way-is-not-just-a-talented-and-bright-person/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has got a really intellectual mindset about how the United States should go about protecting its national security. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-got-a-really-intellectual-mindset-about-how/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has said that the deal's in place. We can't unilaterally pull out of it without support from our allies because the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-said-that-the-deal-s-in-place-we-can-t/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[ General James Mattis\] is a Marine's Marine who has served in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-is-a-marine-s-marine-who-has-served-in-combat-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[General James Mattis\] a very talented individual. He's - has a personal library of about 10,000 books and he's read most of them on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-a-very-talented-individual-he-s-has-a-personal/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [I think this does show that there will be some changes, not so much in Europe or Asia but certainly in the Middle East.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/i-think-this-does-show-that-there-will-be-some-changes-not-so-much-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [“The attraction of reading is that it allows you to live, for a few hours, as someone else—grants you access to their head, their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-torre/the-attraction-of-reading-is-that-it-allows-you-to-live-for-a-few/) [Alessandra Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-torre/) > [The importance of reading, for me, is that it allows you to dream. Reading not only educates, but is relaxing and allows you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ripert/the-importance-of-reading-for-me-is-that-it-allows-you-to-dream-2/) [Eric Ripert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ripert/) > [The importance of reading, for me, is that it allows you to dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ripert/the-importance-of-reading-for-me-is-that-it-allows-you-to-dream/) [Eric Ripert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ripert/) > [Reading allows us to learn, see, do things that we could never have done with our own knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/reading-allows-us-to-learn-see-do-things-that-we-could-never-have/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Adventurous reading allows one to escape a little from the provincialities of one's home culture and the blinders of one's narrow self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/adventurous-reading-allows-one-to-escape-a-little-from-the/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [Reading allows you to go into a space that nothing else can take you to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/reading-allows-you-to-go-into-a-space-that-nothing-else-can-take-you/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Reading allows me to recharge my batteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-dravid/reading-allows-me-to-recharge-my-batteries/) [Rahul Dravid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-dravid/) ## More by Peter R. Mansoor > [I think this does show that there will be some changes, not so much in Europe or Asia but certainly in the Middle East.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/i-think-this-does-show-that-there-will-be-some-changes-not-so-much-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ Given this president \[Donald Trump\] and his lack of military experience, I think it actually might be a good thing to have someone who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/given-this-president-donald-trump-and-his-lack-of-military-experience/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ So in his very politically-incorrect way, I think \[James Mattis\] is a good counterpart to Donald Trump, who doesn't read books. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/so-in-his-very-politically-incorrect-way-i-think-james-mattis-is-a/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[ General James Mattis\] is a Marine's Marine who has served in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-is-a-marine-s-marine-who-has-served-in-combat-in/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ \[General James Mattis\] a very talented individual. He's - has a personal library of about 10,000 books and he's read most of them on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-a-very-talented-individual-he-s-has-a-personal/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Why do soldiers fight? They join because they believe in a higher cause -- protecting religion, their nation, defending against a foreign nation. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/why-do-soldiers-fight-they-join-because-they-believe-in-a-higher/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has said that the deal's in place. We can't unilaterally pull out of it without support from our allies because the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-said-that-the-deal-s-in-place-we-can-t/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ General \[James\] Mattis has got a really intellectual mindset about how the United States should go about protecting its national security. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/general-james-mattis-has-got-a-really-intellectual-mindset-about-how/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Certainly, we shouldn't go about making a habit of taking generals and making them secretary of defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/certainly-we-shouldn-t-go-about-making-a-habit-of-taking-generals-and/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Michele Flournoy, by the way, is not just a talented and bright person. She was Hillary Clinton's secretary of defense in-waiting. So for her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/michele-flournoy-by-the-way-is-not-just-a-talented-and-bright-person/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ I think that you will see some significant changes in the \[Donald\] Trump administration. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/i-think-that-you-will-see-some-significant-changes-in-the-donald/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [ t I think what \[James Mattis\] will do with the deal is monitor it very, very carefully and make sure that Iran is complying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/t-i-think-what-james-mattis-will-do-with-the-deal-is-monitor-it-very/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) > [Iran has proxies in Yemen, Syria, Iraq. You can push back against Iran without pulling out of the deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-mansoor/iran-has-proxies-in-yemen-syria-iraq-you-can-push-back-against-iran/) [Peter R. Mansoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) [Explore all 14 Peter R. Mansoor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-mansoor/) ## More Bags quotes > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I love Christopher Bailey and Burberry, Mulberry for bags, and Hudson for jeans. 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It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I like bags that are easy to wear and are pretty to look at. But I don't like them when they have no space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dellal/i-like-bags-that-are-easy-to-wear-and-are-pretty-to-look-at-but-i-don/) [Alice Dellal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dellal/) > [I drive a Prius. I always turn my faucets off. I never use plastic bottles anymore. I use glass bottles. 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