--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You might as well appeal against a…" description: "\"“You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm as against these terrible hardships of war. War is cruelty, there is no use trying to reform it; the c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_peace_you-might-as-well-appeal-against-a-thund_135616.jpg" --- # You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm as against… ![“You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm as against these terrible hardships of war. War is cruelty, there is no use trying to reform it; the crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.” quote by William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_peace_you-might-as-well-appeal-against-a-thund_135616.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_peace_you-might-as-well-appeal-against-a-thund_135616.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/156/william-tecumseh-sherman-7374_peace_you-might-as-well-appeal-against-a-thund_135616.jpg) > ““You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm as against these terrible hardships of war. War is cruelty, there is no use trying to reform it; the crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.”” [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 inherently cruel and cannot be reformed; the more brutal it is, the quicker it ends. **In simple terms:** War's cruelty makes reform futile; brutality may hasten its end. Key Takeaway Accept war’s harsh reality and seek swift resolution. Themes war cruelty reform resolution human cost Mood grim analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - military strategy - peace negotiations - humanitarian aid Key Concepts strategic theory ethical dilemma historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - Is increased cruelty ever justified? - What alternatives exist to end war without escalation? A Different Perspective Assuming cruelty ends war may ignore long-term trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Thunderstorm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunderstorm/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [You might as well appeal against the thunderstorm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/you-might-as-well-appeal-against-the-thunderstorm/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-cruelty-and-you-cannot-refine-it/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/war-is-cruelty-there-is-no-use-trying-to-reform-it-the-crueler-it-is/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [“War is cruelty. You can't refine it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-sherman/war-is-cruelty-you-can-t-refine-it/) [William T. Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-sherman/) > [War is cruelty, and none can make it gentle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-parker/war-is-cruelty-and-none-can-make-it-gentle/) [Gilbert Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-parker/) > [You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-qualify-war-in-harsher-terms-than-i-will-war-is-cruelty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When she left me I stood out in the thunderstorm, hoping to be destroyed by lightning. It missed, first left, then right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-kooser/when-she-left-me-i-stood-out-in-the-thunderstorm-hoping-to-be/) [Ted Kooser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-kooser/) > [“every thunderstorm has more than one thunder clap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sable-sylvan/every-thunderstorm-has-more-than-one-thunder-clap/) Sable Sylvan > [Women? Women are like...thunderstorms. They're beautiful to look at, and sometimes they're nice to listen to-but most of the time they're just plain inconvenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/women-women-are-like-thunderstorms-they-re-beautiful-to-look-at-and/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [It's been fascinating working on a set in New York. Just to be in the thick of it is really interesting, because on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-collins/it-s-been-fascinating-working-on-a-set-in-new-york-just-to-be-in-the/) Jessica Collins > [“They looked so familiar that for a moment Claude feared he had doubled back to Mrs. Merritt's city, until a sudden wave of water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-woolf/they-looked-so-familiar-that-for-a-moment-claude-feared-he-had/) [Douglas Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-woolf/) > [We're still dancing to tunes created by men who thought that a thunderstorm was a sig of God's anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-khoury/we-re-still-dancing-to-tunes-created-by-men-who-thought-that-a/) [Raymond Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-khoury/) > [“I'm the guy who checks the weather report every day hoping for a thunderstorm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-tonzelli/i-m-the-guy-who-checks-the-weather-report-every-day-hoping-for-a/) [J. Tonzelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-tonzelli/) > [A tree doesn't make a thunderstorm, but any fool knows where lightning's going to strike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/a-tree-doesn-t-make-a-thunderstorm-but-any-fool-knows-where-lightning/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Summer explodes into Portland. In early June the heat was there but not the color--the green were still pale and tentative, the morning had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/summer-explodes-into-portland-in-early-june-the-heat-was-there-but/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [The whole army is burning with an insatiable desire to wreak violence upon South Carolina. I almost tremble for her fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-whole-army-is-burning-with-an-insatiable-desire-to-wreak-violence/) [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 Peace quotes > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) W.J. Turner > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [“There is no fortune greater than peace; there is no force greater than peace; there is no excellent tapas greater than peace; there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muruganar/there-is-no-fortune-greater-than-peace-there-is-no-force-greater-than/) [Muruganar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muruganar/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,655 Peace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You might as well appeal against a thunderstorm as against these terrible hardships of war. 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