Burned Quote by Robert McNamara
“We burned to death 100,000 Japanese civilians in Tokyo - men, women and children. LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side had lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?”
About This Quote
Source Speech, 1965
Moral judgment of bombing depends on outcome, not just actions, revealing relativistic ethics.
In simple terms: War morality shifts with victory.
Key Takeaway
Question the ethics of victory.
Themes
war
morality
victory
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
historical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- military strategy
- political decision
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
just war theory
ethical relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- Is victory a moral shield?
- How should we judge wartime actions?
A Different Perspective
Winning does not excuse all acts.
![“[General Curtis] LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side has lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?” quote by Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/165/robert-mcnamara-12738_burned_general-curtis-lemay-recognized-that-wha_43443.jpg)
![“...but highly placed sources within the Kennedy Administration disagreed: "[T]he assumption that the strategic nuclear balance mattered in any way was wrong... As far as I am concerned, it made no difference... If my memory serves me correctly, we had some five thousand strategic nuclear warheads…” quote by Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f43/robert-mcnamara-12738_administration_but-highly-placed-sources-within-the-ken_893031.jpg)
