--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The troops are therefore empowered and…" description: "\"The troops are therefore empowered and are in duty bound in this war to use without mitigation even against women and children any means that will lead..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/wilhelm-keitel-30744_children_the-troops-are-therefore-empowered-and-a_2962976.jpg" --- # The troops are therefore empowered and are in duty bound… ![“The troops are therefore empowered and are in duty bound in this war to use without mitigation even against women and children any means that will lead to success.” quote by Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/wilhelm-keitel-30744_children_the-troops-are-therefore-empowered-and-a_2962976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/wilhelm-keitel-30744_children_the-troops-are-therefore-empowered-and-a_2962976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/835/wilhelm-keitel-30744_children_the-troops-are-therefore-empowered-and-a_2962976.jpg) > “The troops are therefore empowered and are in duty bound in this war to use without mitigation even against women and children any means that will lead to success.” [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The order permits unrestricted violence, even against civilians, reflecting total war brutality. **In simple terms:** War can erase moral limits. Key Takeaway Reject policies that target innocents. Themes war ethics human rights military conduct Mood somber serious Type historical ethical When to use this quote - conflict zones - military orders - humanitarian law Key Concepts total war civilian targeting Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect civilians in war? - How can societies hold perpetrators accountable? A Different Perspective Such orders cause lasting trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bound War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bound-war-1716047/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Empowered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowered/) [Empowered Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowered-duty-4522432/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Troops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troops/) [Troops Empowered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/troops-empowered-4522431/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [But it cannot follow that because weapons and troops are now being deployed we are bound to go to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-hurd/but-it-cannot-follow-that-because-weapons-and-troops-are-now-being/) [Douglas Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-hurd/) > [At the beginning of the war, and for some time, the use of colored troops was not contemplated; and how the change of purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/at-the-beginning-of-the-war-and-for-some-time-the-use-of-colored/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself, and let the troops see that you don'tin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-rommel/be-an-example-to-your-men-in-your-duty-and-in-private-life-never/) [Erwin Rommel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-rommel/) > [It is tragic to have to realize that the best I had to give as a soldier, obedience, and loyalty, was exploited for purposes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/it-is-tragic-to-have-to-realize-that-the-best-i-had-to-give-as-a/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Being harmless means being so strong, so empowered, that the idea of showing power through harm is not even a part of your consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/being-harmless-means-being-so-strong-so-empowered-that-the-idea-of/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [I don't like to reveal anything about my personal relationships with artists because it is so sacred to me, but I will say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-don-t-like-to-reveal-anything-about-my-personal-relationships-with/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [“Sonnet of Single Mother There is no greater superpower, In the world than a single mother. Far superior to the world leaders, Is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/sonnet-of-single-mother-there-is-no-greater-superpower-in-the-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Being empowered includes developing the powerful qualities that lead human beings to cultivate wellness and healing. And those are the same qualities that enhance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-kest/being-empowered-includes-developing-the-powerful-qualities-that-lead/) [Bryan Kest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-kest/) > [There certainly are situations where I feel not empowered or uninspired. Particularly when the person's agenda is to intimidate through abusing their position or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/there-certainly-are-situations-where-i-feel-not-empowered-or/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [It's crazy for somebody who's kind of empowered and wealthy like myself to say, "Oh, I don't need to be patronized by the state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/it-s-crazy-for-somebody-who-s-kind-of-empowered-and-wealthy-like/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sobel/if-we-want-children-to-flourish-to-become-truly-empowered-let-us/) [David Sobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sobel/) > [I love comedy; I'm super passionate about it, and thank God it's super in right now to have female empowered comedies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dreama-walker/i-love-comedy-i-m-super-passionate-about-it-and-thank-god-it-s-super/) [Dreama Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dreama-walker/) > [“The time has come to harness the blessed power within us and to use it to transcend from our current existence into a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/the-time-has-come-to-harness-the-blessed-power-within-us-and-to-use/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [A League of Their Own' had some special meaning for me, I guess - it's about women joining together and being empowered, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/a-league-of-their-own-had-some-special-meaning-for-me-i-guess-it-s/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krishna. By distributing the holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvati/only-an-empowered-personality-can-distribute-the-holy-name-of-the/) [Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhaktisiddhanta-sarasvati/) ## More by Wilhelm Keitel > [It is tragic to have to realize that the best I had to give as a soldier, obedience, and loyalty, was exploited for purposes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/it-is-tragic-to-have-to-realize-that-the-best-i-had-to-give-as-a/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Death by hanging. That, at least, I thought I would be spared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/death-by-hanging-that-at-least-i-thought-i-would-be-spared/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [I call on God Almighty to have mercy on the German people. More than two million German soldiers went to their death for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/i-call-on-god-almighty-to-have-mercy-on-the-german-people-more-than/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [I am a soldier and I worked for the kaiser, under Ebert, Hindenburg, and Hitler, all the same way, for the past 44 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/i-am-a-soldier-and-i-worked-for-the-kaiser-under-ebert-hindenburg-and/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Consideration of any kind are a crime against the German people and the soldier at the front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/consideration-of-any-kind-are-a-crime-against-the-german-people-and/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Why did the generals who have been so ready to term me a complaisant and incompetent yes-man fail to secure my removal? Was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/why-did-the-generals-who-have-been-so-ready-to-term-me-a-complaisant/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Hitler gave us orders - and we believed in him. Then he commits suicide and leaves us to bear the guilt. He should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/hitler-gave-us-orders-and-we-believed-in-him-then-he-commits-suicide/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [I believe German soldiers are good and decent, and if they did anything wrong it was because of military necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/i-believe-german-soldiers-are-good-and-decent-and-if-they-did/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [If this war is not fought with the greatest brutality against the bands both in the East and in the Balkans then in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/if-this-war-is-not-fought-with-the-greatest-brutality-against-the/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [Hitler had charm, loved children, charmed women. But in political respects he would stop at nothing. In other respects he had soft and touching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/hitler-had-charm-loved-children-charmed-women-but-in-political/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [No matter what Hitler said, he spoke with a fine feeling for the particular circle which he addressed. ... He was a great psychologist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/no-matter-what-hitler-said-he-spoke-with-a-fine-feeling-for-the/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [If I had known it I would have told my son, I'd rather shoot you than let you join the SS. But I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/if-i-had-known-it-i-would-have-told-my-son-i-d-rather-shoot-you-than/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [A field marshal who issued orders to the armed forces but had no idea of the results they would have in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/a-field-marshal-who-issued-orders-to-the-armed-forces-but-had-no-idea/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [This fight has nothing to do with soldierly gallantry or principles of the Geneva Convention. If the fight against the partisans is not waged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/this-fight-has-nothing-to-do-with-soldierly-gallantry-or-principles/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) > [It isn't right to be obedient only when things go well; it is much harder to be a good, obedient soldier when things go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-keitel/it-isn-t-right-to-be-obedient-only-when-things-go-well-it-is-much/) [Wilhelm Keitel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) [Explore all 17 Wilhelm Keitel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-keitel/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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