--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War is too serious a matter to leave to…" description: "\"War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers.\" — William Tecumseh Sherman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_matter_war-is-too-serious-a-matter-to-leave-to_2188150.jpg" --- # War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers. ![“War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers.” quote by William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_matter_war-is-too-serious-a-matter-to-leave-to_2188150.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_matter_war-is-too-serious-a-matter-to-leave-to_2188150.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfb/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_matter_war-is-too-serious-a-matter-to-leave-to_2188150.jpg) > “War is too serious a matter to leave to soldiers.” [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 demands careful judgment; delegating it to soldiers alone ignores civilian responsibility. **In simple terms:** War is too serious to leave to soldiers. Key Takeaway Consider civilian input in war decisions. Themes war responsibility civilian oversight Mood serious thoughtful Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy debates - public protests - peace movements Key Concepts military ethics democratic control Questions to Reflect On - Who should decide on war policies? - How can civilians influence military actions? A Different Perspective Soldiers also bear responsibility; civilian input may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [You can't tell me I matter and then leave like I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-tell-me-i-matter-and-then-leave-like-i-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is no longer a matter of if there is a war; it is a matter of who will strike next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emory-r-frie/it-is-no-longer-a-matter-of-if-there-is-a-war-it-is-a-matter-of-who/) [Emory R. Frie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emory-r-frie/) > [Going to war is a serious matter. And it should be done very carefully and deliberately with clear national interests at stake before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/going-to-war-is-a-serious-matter-and-it-should-be-done-very-carefully/) Joe Pitts > [Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/never-think-that-war-no-matter-how-necessary-nor-how-justified-is-not-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [War is a matter of vital importance to the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/war-is-a-matter-of-vital-importance-to-the-state/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“What we have here is a war—the war of matter and spirit. In the classical era, spirit was in harmony with matter. Matter used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannina-braschi/what-we-have-here-is-a-war-the-war-of-matter-and-spirit-in-the/) [Giannina Braschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannina-braschi/) > [War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/war-is-too-serious-a-matter-to-entrust-to-military-men/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [War is a matter of vital importance to the state; the province of life or death; the road to survival or ruin. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/war-is-a-matter-of-vital-importance-to-the-state-the-province-of-life/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [War is the matter which fills all history; and consequently the only, or almost the only, view in which we can see the external…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/war-is-the-matter-which-fills-all-history-and-consequently-the-only/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [War is not only a matter of equipment, artillery, group troops or air force; it is largely a matter of spirit, or morale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiang-kai-shek/war-is-not-only-a-matter-of-equipment-artillery-group-troops-or-air/) [Chiang Kai-shek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiang-kai-shek/) > [War is much too serious a matter to be entrusted to the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-much-too-serious-a-matter-to-be-entrusted-to-the-military/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [War is much too serious a matter to entrust to military men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/war-is-much-too-serious-a-matter-to-entrust-to-military-men/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/war-is-a-matter-not-so-much-of-arms-as-of-money/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) ## 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 Leave quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [“Congregating power to leave u… To control this love But I always go back to December!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moaz-zulfiqar/congregating-power-to-leave-u-to-control-this-love-but-i-always-go/) Moaz Zulfiqar > [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Can't blame people for walking away. People get tired and can only take so much. Don't be surprised when they leave and don't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-t-blame-people-for-walking-away-people-get-tired-and-can-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To have a future we have to live and leave the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akiane-kramarik/to-have-a-future-we-have-to-live-and-leave-the-present/) [Akiane Kramarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akiane-kramarik/) > [My parents and my sister always leave me over New Year, so I'm always on my own in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-dimoldenberg/my-parents-and-my-sister-always-leave-me-over-new-year-so-i-m-always/) [Amelia Dimoldenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-dimoldenberg/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The fact that you can even make a record and leave a document that you were here, that's nothing to sneeze at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/the-fact-that-you-can-even-make-a-record-and-leave-a-document-that/) [Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/) > [Take what you LOVE , Leave what you don't :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psychefaye/take-what-you-love-leave-what-you-don-t/) PsycheFaye > [There is no reason why one should believe you should leave out politicians in cricket or any sport for that matter. 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