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About this quote

What does it mean?
He felt that acting against his orders would not save lives but would ruin his reputation as a traitor.
In plain terms
Disobeying to save others would brand him a traitor without changing outcomes.
What can you take from it?
Disobedience may cost reputation without changing outcomes.

Where it applies

  • military command
  • ethical dilemmas
  • historical judgment

Putting it to work

  • weigh orders against ethics
  • consider historical impact
  • document dilemmas

Questions to consider

  • When should you disobey orders?
  • What matters more: reputation or results?

Another view

Sometimes disobedience can change history and prevent greater harm.

More from Gerd von Rundstedt

  1. Three factors defeated us in the West where I was in command. First, the unheard-of superiority of your air force, which made all movement in daytime impossibl…

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  2. If I had had my way the English would not have got off so lightly at Dunkirk. But my hands were tied by direct orders from Hitler himself. While the English we…

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  3. It is a pity that this faithful youth is sacrificed in a hopeless situation.

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