--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When [men] go to war, what they want is…" description: "\"When [men] go to war, what they want is to impose on their enemies the victor's will and call it peace.\" — Saint Augustine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/saint-augustine-328_anti-war_when-men-go-to-war-what-they-want-is-to_589443.png" --- # When \[men\] go to war, what they want is to impose on their… ![“When [men] go to war, what they want is to impose on their enemies the victor's will and call it peace.” quote by Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/saint-augustine-328_anti-war_when-men-go-to-war-what-they-want-is-to_589443.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/saint-augustine-328_anti-war_when-men-go-to-war-what-they-want-is-to_589443.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/saint-augustine-328_anti-war_when-men-go-to-war-what-they-want-is-to_589443.png) > “When \[men\] go to war, what they want is to impose on their enemies the victor's will and call it peace.” [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is often justified as imposing the victor’s will, masquerading as peace, revealing power dynamics behind conflict. **In simple terms:** War masks domination as peace. Key Takeaway Question the true motives behind so-called peace. Themes war power peace political morality Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - international diplomacy - conflict resolution - political negotiations - historical analysis Key Concepts just war theory hegemony ethical philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What defines true peace? - How can power be exercised without oppression? A Different Perspective Peace can be genuine without domination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) [Antiwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antiwar/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Victor 's](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victor-s/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [a victor's peace is usually vindictive and stirs up a passion for revenge a generation or so later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-lester/a-victor-s-peace-is-usually-vindictive-and-stirs-up-a-passion-for/) [Muriel Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-lester/) > [No one had to impose my enemies on me. I selected them myself. I didn't avoid them: I pointed them out, marked them, attacked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/no-one-had-to-impose-my-enemies-on-me-i-selected-them-myself-i-didn-t/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) > [For the victor peace means the preservation of the position of power which he has secured. For the vanquished it means resigning himself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stresemann/for-the-victor-peace-means-the-preservation-of-the-position-of-power/) [Gustav Stresemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stresemann/) > [No, I can just read you. Finally. I can't believe how blind I was. I can't believe I never noticed. Victor's comment...he was right."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/no-i-can-just-read-you-finally-i-can-t-believe-how-blind-i-was-i-can/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [In Victor's life, monotony and boredom had nothing to do with one another. He repeated his repertoire so often that even from miles away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luisa-valenzuela/in-victor-s-life-monotony-and-boredom-had-nothing-to-do-with-one/) Luisa Valenzuela > [I have it on good authority that Victor's going to have car trouble. Also that Robert really likes Cheerios, so if you want some,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-have-it-on-good-authority-that-victor-s-going-to-have-car-trouble/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor's being severely tested." The boy remembered an old proverb from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/every-search-begins-with-beginner-s-luck-and-every-search-ends-with/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [ Let arms yield to the toga, let the \[victor's\] laurel yield to the \[orator's\] tongue. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-arms-yield-to-the-toga-let-the-victor-s-laurel-yield-to-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Deathless laurel is the victor's due.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/deathless-laurel-is-the-victor-s-due/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [A victor's mentality becomes a victor's reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/a-victor-s-mentality-becomes-a-victor-s-reality/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [My roots and Victor's are jazz, basically, but these two young fellows that we have with us come out of rock bands. And they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chico-hamilton/my-roots-and-victor-s-are-jazz-basically-but-these-two-young-fellows/) [Chico Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chico-hamilton/) > [For some reason, it didn’t feel right. Victor’s words seemed to confirm that. There was another reason that he’d come here. Falling in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/for-some-reason-it-didn-t-feel-right-victor-s-words-seemed-to-confirm/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [The Nuremburg trials were attacked at the time as 'victor's justice'. And this is precisely what they were - and were intended to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-nuremburg-trials-were-attacked-at-the-time-as-victor-s-justice/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Amid the cheering of the crowds, he hardly heard his master's voice, but he saw the familiar head and shoulders, and the bright flag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-thompson-seton/amid-the-cheering-of-the-crowds-he-hardly-heard-his-master-s-voice/) [Ernest Thompson Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-thompson-seton/) > [Prayer is repeating the victor's name (Jesus) into the ears of Satan and insisting on his retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-gordon/prayer-is-repeating-the-victor-s-name-jesus-into-the-ears-of-satan/) [S. D Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-gordon/) ## More by Saint Augustine > [Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/lust-indulged-became-habit-and-habit-unresisted-became-necessity/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The playthings of our elders are called business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-playthings-of-our-elders-are-called-business/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Do what you can and pray for what you cannot yet do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/do-what-you-can-and-pray-for-what-you-cannot-yet-do/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [My mother spoke of Christ to my father, by her feminine and childlike virtues, and, after having borne his violence without a murmur or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/my-mother-spoke-of-christ-to-my-father-by-her-feminine-and-childlike/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Wicked sons do not have the Holy Ghost in the same way as do beloved sons, and yet they do have Baptism. 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You give it to the poor, and God receives it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/god-has-no-need-of-your-money-but-the-poor-have-you-give-it-to-the/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Nothing conquers except truth and the victory of truth is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-conquers-except-truth-and-the-victory-of-truth-is-love/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“O God, who is ever at work and ever at rest. May I be ever at work and ever at rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/o-god-who-is-ever-at-work-and-ever-at-rest-may-i-be-ever-at-work-and/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Our Lord reserved to Himself certain things which He would do in due time in a manner outside the course and order of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/our-lord-reserved-to-himself-certain-things-which-he-would-do-in-due/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/give-me-chastity-and-continence-but-not-yet/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen. He either permits it to happen, or He brings it about Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-therefore-happens-unless-the-omnipotent-wills-it-to-happen-he/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The reward of patience Is patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-reward-of-patience-is-patience/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) [Explore all 672 Saint Augustine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## More Anti war quotes > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... 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Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. 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