--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If civilians are going to be killed, I…" description: "\"If civilians are going to be killed, I would rather have them be their civilians than our civilians.\" — Stuart Symington" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/stuart-symington-32248_civilians_if-civilians-are-going-to-be-killed-i-wo_218184.jpg" --- # If civilians are going to be killed, I would rather have… ![“If civilians are going to be killed, I would rather have them be their civilians than our civilians.” quote by Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/stuart-symington-32248_civilians_if-civilians-are-going-to-be-killed-i-wo_218184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/stuart-symington-32248_civilians_if-civilians-are-going-to-be-killed-i-wo_218184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/stuart-symington-32248_civilians_if-civilians-are-going-to-be-killed-i-wo_218184.jpg) > “If civilians are going to be killed, I would rather have them be their civilians than our civilians.” [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In wartime, the speaker prefers enemy civilians to be harmed over one's own, reflecting a ruthless utilitarian view. **In simple terms:** Prefer enemy casualties over own. Key Takeaway Prioritize own civilian safety. Themes war ethics utilitarianism Mood grim strategic Type political controversial When to use this quote - combat decisions - strategic bombing - civilian protection policies Key Concepts realpolitik military strategy moral calculus Questions to Reflect On - Is sacrificing enemy lives ever justified? - What are the long‑term impacts of this mindset? A Different Perspective Such logic dehumanizes all civilians. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians/) [Civilians Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians-civilians-2235037/) [Civilians Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians-going-2235038/) [Going Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-killed-401655/) [Killed Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killed-civilians-1995405/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ## Related quotes > [“Because deep down to the army a wounded soldier that can’t fight anymore is garbage. 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We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/we-should-invade-their-countries-kill-their-leaders-and-convert-them-2/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Some typewriters in Whitehall, in the Pentagon, killed more civilians than our little A4 could have ever hoped to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/some-typewriters-in-whitehall-in-the-pentagon-killed-more-civilians/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [“The enemy," retorted Yossarian with weighted precision, "is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/the-enemy-retorted-yossarian-with-weighted-precision-is-anybody-who-s/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) > [“In this place, upwards of 400,000 British men were going to be killed. They'd lost 20,000 just the other day. 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"Of course it's a trap, sweetling.There are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-litton/don-t-go-rycca-said-urgently-it-s-a-trap-her-husband-looked-down-at/) [Josie Litton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-litton/) > [“You're going to get us killed." "Well, since you got us kidnapped in the first place, I think it's only fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/you-re-going-to-get-us-killed-well-since-you-got-us-kidnapped-in-the/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [“Austin stared at me in shock. “You’re going to get us both killed.” “At least we’ll die pretty,” I told him with a smirk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-guinn/austin-stared-at-me-in-shock-you-re-going-to-get-us-both-killed-at/) [Chris O'Guinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-guinn/) > [The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/the-enemy-is-anybody-who-s-going-to-get-you-killed-no-matter-which/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) ## More by Stuart Symington > [In real danger sometimes even a democracy can really keep a secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/in-real-danger-sometimes-even-a-democracy-can-really-keep-a-secret/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [Sure, you would lose more bombers without fighters, but, flying in formation, you could get the job done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/sure-you-would-lose-more-bombers-without-fighters-but-flying-in/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [Well over fifty years ago I was making radio loudspeakers and radio sets in Rochester, New York; pretty young and inexperienced; but we survived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/well-over-fifty-years-ago-i-was-making-radio-loudspeakers-and-radio/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [My father-in-law was once Chairman of Military Affairs in the Senate, the latter part of the Wilson Administrations. He knew a lot about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/my-father-in-law-was-once-chairman-of-military-affairs-in-the-senate/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [I believe the military should be wary of diplomacy until war is declared; then the State Department should keep its nose out and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/i-believe-the-military-should-be-wary-of-diplomacy-until-war-is/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [In those days secrets were well kept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/in-those-days-secrets-were-well-kept/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [But the Air Force was sort of a bastard child of the Army, much like the Marines with the Navy. Everything had to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/but-the-air-force-was-sort-of-a-bastard-child-of-the-army-much-like/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [FDR had been Assistant Secretary of the Navy. They told me, now forgotten, just how many pictures of ships they took out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/fdr-had-been-assistant-secretary-of-the-navy-they-told-me-now/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [It all went back to problems we had talked about before, you know, such as the British not believing in formation bombing and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/it-all-went-back-to-problems-we-had-talked-about-before-you-know-such/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [Hardly had I left when we ran into the Korean war, doubled what I had asked for and doubled it again. I had told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/hardly-had-i-left-when-we-ran-into-the-korean-war-doubled-what-i-had/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [Later the Administration wanted me to actually sell all remaining surplus by running the War Assets Corporation. I said I couldn't do it without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/later-the-administration-wanted-me-to-actually-sell-all-remaining/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [The British were keen for 30 caliber guns, did not believe in daylight bombing. American experts said 30 caliber was not enough; we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/the-british-were-keen-for-30-caliber-guns-did-not-believe-in-daylight/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [Mr. Truman studiously avoided giving power to his White House staff that has been characteristic of recent administrations. Staff people in the White House,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/mr-truman-studiously-avoided-giving-power-to-his-white-house-staff/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) > [I had learned many years ago in private business never to take responsibility without adequate authority; and the new Secretary of Defense, as budgets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-symington/i-had-learned-many-years-ago-in-private-business-never-to-take/) [Stuart Symington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) [Explore all 15 Stuart Symington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-symington/) ## More Civilians quotes > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. 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It says all necessary measures to be taken to protect civilians and civilian areas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-jackson/well-the-u-n-security-council-resolution-1973-is-very-clear-it-says/) [Mike Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-jackson/) > [Be kindly and just in your dealings with your men. Never play favorites. Make them feel that justice tempered with mercy may always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-lejeune/be-kindly-and-just-in-your-dealings-with-your-men-never-play/) [John A. 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But what makes it immoral if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/general-curtis-lemay-recognized-that-what-he-was-doing-would-be/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/the-authority-of-the-civil-defense-issued-a-warning-to-the-civilian/) [Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [A large portion of American citizens, especially people of color, have lost confidence in our criminal justice system. 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