--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great nation assailed by war has not…" description: "\"A great nation assailed by war has not only its frontiers to protect: it must also protect its good sense. It must protect itself from the hallucinatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/romain-rolland-10123_folly_a-great-nation-assailed-by-war-has-not-o_2132529.jpg" --- # A great nation assailed by war has not only its frontiers… ![“A great nation assailed by war has not only its frontiers to protect: it must also protect its good sense. It must protect itself from the hallucinations, injustices, and follies which the plague lets loose.” quote by Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/romain-rolland-10123_folly_a-great-nation-assailed-by-war-has-not-o_2132529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/romain-rolland-10123_folly_a-great-nation-assailed-by-war-has-not-o_2132529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b42/romain-rolland-10123_folly_a-great-nation-assailed-by-war-has-not-o_2132529.jpg) > “A great nation assailed by war has not only its frontiers to protect: it must also protect its good sense. It must protect itself from the hallucinations, injustices, and follies which the plague lets loose.” [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War erodes rational judgment, leading societies to succumb to fear, injustice, and absurdity if they neglect critical thinking. **In simple terms:** War clouds common sense and fuels chaos. Key Takeaway Guard reason during conflict. Themes war reason societal health psychology justice Mood anxious reflective Type cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - political leadership - public policy - media reporting - education curricula Key Concepts cognitive bias mass hysteria ethical decay Questions to Reflect On - How can societies maintain critical thinking under siege? - What safeguards protect against collective delusion? A Different Perspective Rational vigilance can be overwhelmed by emotional turmoil. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Frontiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frontiers/) [Frontiers Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frontiers-protect-4401377/) [Good sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-sense/) [Great nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-nation/) [Great nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-nations/) [Hallucinations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallucinations/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Nation Assailed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation-assailed-4401378/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Plague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plague/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protect Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect-good-2296654/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“God laid down this law, saying: if you want some good, get it from yourself” (1.29.4). “Protect your own good in all that you do” (4.3.11).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/god-laid-down-this-law-saying-if-you-want-some-good-get-it-from/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“But I was still determined to protect her. It might be the one good thing I would ever do in my life. I wondered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-ramirez/but-i-was-still-determined-to-protect-her-it-might-be-the-one-good/) [Steven Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-ramirez/) > [Ultimately a great nation is a compassionate nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/ultimately-a-great-nation-is-a-compassionate-nation/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [A great nation cannot abandon its responsibilities. Responsibilities abandoned today return as more acute crises tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/a-great-nation-cannot-abandon-its-responsibilities-responsibilities/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [I have a dream... I have a dream today... 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-tizard/great-power-capable-of-everything-and-only-temporarily-handicapped-by/) [Henry Tizard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-tizard/) > [A great nation like the United States has many and varied interests, and we need both to do business with tyrants and to engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/a-great-nation-like-the-united-states-has-many-and-varied-interests/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [A man must first care for his own household before he can be of use to the state. 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He is what makes us a great nation and a dangerous nation, all wrapped up in one man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-oberst-jr/lincoln-is-me-he-is-america-he-is-what-makes-us-a-great-nation-and-a/) [Bill Oberst Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-oberst-jr/) > [The Founding Fathers believed that faith in God was the key to our being a good people and America's becoming a great nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-founding-fathers-believed-that-faith-in-god-was-the-key-to-our/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It is fitting for a great nation to yield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/it-is-fitting-for-a-great-nation-to-yield/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [It is not what we have that will make us a great nation; it is the way in which we use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-not-what-we-have-that-will-make-us-a-great-nation-it-is-the-way/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [We are a great nation, which has lot to offer to the world, but to offer something to the world France has to remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/we-are-a-great-nation-which-has-lot-to-offer-to-the-world-but-to/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) ## More by Romain Rolland > [“I distrust official charity. All charity should be done by stealth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/i-distrust-official-charity-all-charity-should-be-done-by-stealth/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [The artist is the compass which, through the raging of the storm, points steadily to the north.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/the-artist-is-the-compass-which-through-the-raging-of-the-storm/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [One day History will pass judgment on each of the nations at war; she will weigh their measure of errors, lies, and heinous follies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/one-day-history-will-pass-judgment-on-each-of-the-nations-at-war-she/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [The greatest book is not the one whose message engraves itself on the brain, as a telegraphic message engraves itself on the ticker-tape, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/the-greatest-book-is-not-the-one-whose-message-engraves-itself-on-the/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [The true Vedantic spirit does not start out with a system of preconceived ideas. It possesses absolute liberty and unrivalled courage among religions with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/the-true-vedantic-spirit-does-not-start-out-with-a-system-of/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [“They were the only members of their family, and they were both humble, crushed, and thrust aside by life; they were united in sadness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/they-were-the-only-members-of-their-family-and-they-were-both-humble/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to have loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/one-makes-mistakes-that-is-life-but-it-is-never-a-mistake-to-have/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [There are some dead who are more alive than the living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/there-are-some-dead-who-are-more-alive-than-the-living/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [I know at last what distinguishes man from animals; financial worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/i-know-at-last-what-distinguishes-man-from-animals-financial-worries/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [Love of my country does not demand that I shall hate and slay those noble and faithful souls who also love theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/love-of-my-country-does-not-demand-that-i-shall-hate-and-slay-those/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [Let us return to our eagle's nest in the Himalayas. It is waiting for us, for it is ours, eaglets of Europe, we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/let-us-return-to-our-eagle-s-nest-in-the-himalayas-it-is-waiting-for/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [If a man is to shed the light of the sun upon other men, he must first of all have it within himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/if-a-man-is-to-shed-the-light-of-the-sun-upon-other-men-he-must-first/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [History furnishes to politics all the arguments that it needs, for the chosen cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/history-furnishes-to-politics-all-the-arguments-that-it-needs-for-the/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [I would rather have this life of combat than the moral calm and mournful stupor of these last years. God give me struggle, enemies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/i-would-rather-have-this-life-of-combat-than-the-moral-calm-and/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) > [Let us seek truth everywhere; let us cull it wherever we can find its blossom or its SEED. Having Found the seed, let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-rolland/let-us-seek-truth-everywhere-let-us-cull-it-wherever-we-can-find-its/) [Romain Rolland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) [Explore all 64 Romain Rolland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-rolland/) ## More Folly quotes > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) [Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/) > [Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/alcohol-doesn-t-console-it-doesn-t-fill-up-anyone-s-psychological/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [Tis easy to break an idol, very easy: to regard the self as easy to subdue is folly, folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/tis-easy-to-break-an-idol-very-easy-to-regard-the-self-as-easy-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What curious little corners of folly are to be found in even the sanest brain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-of-romania/what-curious-little-corners-of-folly-are-to-be-found-in-even-the/) [Marie of Romania](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-of-romania/) > [Unnecessary hustle is one of the American follies. We hustle at both work and play, and consequently enjoy neither to the utmost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/unnecessary-hustle-is-one-of-the-american-follies-we-hustle-at-both/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Democracy is the worst form of government. 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