Winston Churchill

Quotes

1. By noon it was clear that the Socialists would have a majority. At luncheon my wife said to me, 'It may well be a blessing in disguise.' I replied, 'At the moment it seems quite effectively disguised.'

   • Humor
   • Politics

   p. 583

2. 

   Those who are prone, by temperament and character, to seek sharp and clear-cut solutions of difficult and obscure problems, who are ready to fight whenever some challenge comes from a foreign power, have not always been right. On the other hand, those whose inclination is to bow their heads, to seek patiently and faithfully for peaceful compromise, are not always wrong. On the contrary, in the majority of instances they may be right, not only morally, but from a practical standpoint. How many wars have been averted by patience and persisting good will! Religion and virtue alike lend their sanctions to meekness and humility, not only between men but between nations. How many wars have been precipitated by firebrands! How many misunderstandings which led to wars could have been removed by temporizing! How often have countries fought cruel wars and then after a few years found themselves not only friends but allies!

   • War

3. 

   The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril.

   • War
   • Fear

   p. 529

4. 

   War is mainly a catalogue of blunders.

   • War
   • Mistakes

5. 

   A number of social problems arose. I had been told that neither smoking nor alcoholic beverages were allowed in the [Saudi] Royal Presence. As I was the host at luncheon I raised the matter at once, and said to the interpreter that if it was the religion of His Majesty [Ibn Saud] to deprive himself of smoking and alcohol I must point out that my rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after, and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them. The King graciously accepted the position. His own cup-bearer from Mecca offered me a glass of water from its sacred well, the most delicious I had ever tasted.

   • Humor

   p. 348

6. 

   Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat.

   • War
   • Success and failure

7. 

   Some people did not like this ceremonious style. But after all when you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite.

8. 

   Baldwin, Stanley ... confesses putting party before country, 169-70; ...

   • Politics

That’s all the quotes.

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