15 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on War

Mahatma Gandhi quotes on war

6. Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.

22. If there ever could be a justifiable war in the name of and for humanity, a war against Germany, to prevent the wanton persecution of a whole race, would be completely justified. But I do not believe in any war. A discussion of the pros and cons of such a war is therefore outside my horizon or province.

24. Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and in-human to impose the Jews on the Arabs.

27. I appeal for cessation of hostilities ... because war is bad in essence. You want to kill Nazism. Your soldiers are doing the same work of destruction as the Germans. The only difference is that perhaps yours are not as thorough as the Germans ... I venture to present you with a nobler and a braver way, worthy of the bravest soldiers. I want you to fight Nazism without arms or ... with non-violent arms. I would like you to lay down the arms you have as being useless for saving you or humanity. You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions. Let them take possession of your beautiful island, with your many beautiful buildings. You will give all these but neither your souls, nor your minds. If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourself, man, woman and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them ... I am telling His Excellency the Viceroy that my services are at the disposal of His Majesty's Government, should they consider them of any practical use in advancing the object of my appeal.

64. Justice can be won quickest by rendering justice to the other party.

133. A Satyagrahi loves his so-called enemy even as he loves his friend. He owns no enemy.

154. Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.

155. Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.

228. There is no way to peace; peace is the way.

231. This manslaughter must be stopped. You are losing; if you persist, it will only result in greater bloodshed.

242. What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?

246. Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.

253. The Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher's knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs.

254. If you have a sword in your breast take it out and use it like a man.

262. Gandhi was a pacifist, but we might suspect him to have been something of a 'militant pacifist' at heart: he would have used force to prevent those who sought to make war from carrying out their aims.