--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War is at best barbarism. Its glory is…" description: "\"War is at best barbarism. Its glory is all moonshine...War is hell.\" — William Tecumseh Sherman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_barbarism_war-is-at-best-barbarism-its-glory-is-al_2938418.jpg" --- # War is at best barbarism. Its glory is all moonshine...War… ![“War is at best barbarism. Its glory is all moonshine...War is hell.” quote by William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_barbarism_war-is-at-best-barbarism-its-glory-is-al_2938418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_barbarism_war-is-at-best-barbarism-its-glory-is-al_2938418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_barbarism_war-is-at-best-barbarism-its-glory-is-al_2938418.jpg) > “War is at best barbarism. Its glory is all moonshine...War is hell.” [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) ## 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 a brutal, dehumanizing force that offers false glory and only suffering **In simple terms:** War is cruel and offers no true honor Key Takeaway Avoid glorifying conflict Themes war morality human cost Mood somber critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - military leadership - policy debates - peace advocacy Key Concepts humanism realism political theory Questions to Reflect On - How does society romanticize war? - What alternatives to war exist? A Different Perspective War often claimed as noble, but its reality is destructive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barbarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarism/) [Barbarism Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarism-glory-4368808/) [Best Barbarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-barbarism-3411681/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Moonshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonshine/) [Moonshine War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moonshine-war-4368809/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-hell-242306/) [War Is Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-is-hell/) ## Related quotes > [I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/i-am-tired-and-sick-of-war-its-glory-is-all-moonshine-it-is-only/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/it-is-only-those-who-have-neither-fired-a-shot-nor-heard-the-shrieks/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is Hell you can NOT refine it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-hell-you-can-not-refine-it/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-hell/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is at its best barbarism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-at-its-best-barbarism/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is at best barbarism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-at-best-barbarism/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [“War is hell and waiting is hell and war is waiting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-burana/war-is-hell-and-waiting-is-hell-and-war-is-waiting/) [lily burana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-burana/) > [“People like to say, ‘War is hell.’ Well, that saying’s true. I’ve seen it. But the saying’s also bullshit, because it ignores a truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-robert-nolan/people-like-to-say-war-is-hell-well-that-saying-s-true-i-ve-seen-it/) [Eric Robert Nolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-robert-nolan/) > [Just because war is hell doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/just-because-war-is-hell-doesn-t-mean-you-can-t-have-a-little-fun/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [“Let no one ever from henceforth say a word in any way countenancing war. It is dangerous even to speak of how here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegfried-sassoon/let-no-one-ever-from-henceforth-say-a-word-in-any-way-countenancing/) [Siegfried Sassoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegfried-sassoon/) > [I don't really understand the point about carping about every casualty, every bombing, every death. War is hell. That's why people say war is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/i-don-t-really-understand-the-point-about-carping-about-every/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Yes, war is hell. It is awful. It involves human beings killing other human beings, sometimes innocent civilians. That is why we despise war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/yes-war-is-hell-it-is-awful-it-involves-human-beings-killing-other/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [“What the hell do you know about what we lost?! You think we had it easy? That we had it better than you? That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-remender/what-the-hell-do-you-know-about-what-we-lost-you-think-we-had-it-easy/) [Rick Remender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-remender/) > [This is the soldier brave enough to tellThe glory-dazzled world that "war is hell":Lover of peace, he looks beyond the strife,And rides through hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/this-is-the-soldier-brave-enough-to-tellthe-glory-dazzled-world-that/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [War is hell and all that, but it has a good deal to recommend it. It wipes out all the small nuisances of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hay/war-is-hell-and-all-that-but-it-has-a-good-deal-to-recommend-it-it/) [Ian Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hay/) ## More by William Tecumseh Sherman > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [After all, I think Forrest was the most remarkable man our Civil War produced on either side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/after-all-i-think-forrest-was-the-most-remarkable-man-our-civil-war/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [We have good corporals and good sergeants and some good lieutenants and captains, and those are far more important than good generals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/we-have-good-corporals-and-good-sergeants-and-some-good-lieutenants/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [The way to success is strategically along the way of least expectation and tactically along the line of least resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-way-to-success-is-strategically-along-the-way-of-least/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [“You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm as against these terrible hardships of war. War is cruelty, there is no use trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/you-might-as-well-appeal-against-a-thunderstorm-as-against-these/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [If forced to choose between the penitentiary and the White House for four years, I would say the penitentiary, thank you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/if-forced-to-choose-between-the-penitentiary-and-the-white-house-for/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [If I had my choice I would kill every reporter in the world, but I am sure we would be getting reports from Hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/if-i-had-my-choice-i-would-kill-every-reporter-in-the-world-but-i-am/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [The young bloods of the South; sons of planters, lawyers about towns, good billiard players and sportsmen, men who never did any work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-young-bloods-of-the-south-sons-of-planters-lawyers-about-towns/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-the-remedy-that-our-enemies-have-chosen-and-i-say-let-us-give/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [Grant stood by me when I was crazy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/grant-stood-by-me-when-i-was-crazy/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [You people speak so lightly of war; you don't know what you're talking about. War is a terrible thing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/you-people-speak-so-lightly-of-war-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [He belonged to that army known as invincible in peace, invisible in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/he-belonged-to-that-army-known-as-invincible-in-peace-invisible-in-war/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is at its best barbarism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-at-its-best-barbarism/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is Hell you can NOT refine it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-hell-you-can-not-refine-it/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [I confess, without shame, that I am sick and tired of fighting — its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/i-confess-without-shame-that-i-am-sick-and-tired-of-fighting-its/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) [Explore all 92 William Tecumseh Sherman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) ## More Barbarism quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Liberty is the condition of progress. Without Liberty, there remains only barbarism. Without Liberty, there can be no civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/liberty-is-the-condition-of-progress-without-liberty-there-remains/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Odd, don't you think? I have seen war, and invasions and riots. I have heard of massacres and brutalities beyond imagining, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/odd-don-t-you-think-i-have-seen-war-and-invasions-and-riots-i-have/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [Christianity has carried civilization along with it, whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/christianity-has-carried-civilization-along-with-it-whithersoever-it/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [ \[Much\] as war attracts me and fascinates my mind with its tremendous situations, I feel more deeply every year . . . what vile… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/much-as-war-attracts-me-and-fascinates-my-mind-with-its-tremendous/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations. Man's capacity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/educational-exchange-can-turn-nations-into-people-contributing-as-no/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Human history, like all great movements, was cyclical, and returned to the point of beginning. The idea of indefinite progress in a right line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/human-history-like-all-great-movements-was-cyclical-and-returned-to/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [You think that a wall as solid as the earth separates civilization from barbarism. I tell you the division is a thread, a sheet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/you-think-that-a-wall-as-solid-as-the-earth-separates-civilization/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [Barbarism is the absence of standards to which appeal can be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/barbarism-is-the-absence-of-standards-to-which-appeal-can-be-made/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [“The language of sword is less powerful than the language of word, but most of the people understand the language of sword with greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/the-language-of-sword-is-less-powerful-than-the-language-of-word-but/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [There is so much that must be done in a civilized barbarism like war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-earhart/there-is-so-much-that-must-be-done-in-a-civilized-barbarism-like-war/) [Amelia Earhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-earhart/) > [There is a barbarism in the American soul, and we must protect some of it by law. To root it out is to endanger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/there-is-a-barbarism-in-the-american-soul-and-we-must-protect-some-of/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [In discussing Barbarism and Christianity I have actually been discussing the Fall of Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-discussing-barbarism-and-christianity-i-have-actually-been/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [What we now want is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of egoism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/what-we-now-want-is-closer-contact-and-better-understanding-between/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [“Magic begins in superstition, and ends in science. ... At every step the history of civilization teaches us how slight and superficial a structure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/magic-begins-in-superstition-and-ends-in-science-at-every-step-the/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) [Browse all 238 Barbarism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "War is at best barbarism. 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