Lord John Russell Quotes

If peace cannot be maintained with honour, it is no longer peace.

While we shall never weary in the defense of freedom, neither shall we ever abandon the pursuit of peace.

The quest for peace is the statesman's most exacting duty... Practical progress to lasting peace is his fondest hope.

Those good at war aren't good at peace, and those good at peace aren't good at war.

My fellow Americans, let us take that first step. Let us...step back from the shadow of war and seek out the way of peace. And if that journey is a thousand miles, or even more, let history record that we, in this land, at this time, took the first step.

We have now to fight for peace with the same courage and deter-mination as we fought against aggression.

When a nation issues ultimatums, it leaves no room for compromise and ensures that war will continue.

We go to war only to make peace. We never went to war with any other design. We carry the national conscience wherever we go.

A broader reading of history shows that appeasement, no matter how it is labeled, never fulfills the hopes of the appeasers.

I think anything is better than war. The extent to which one can negotiate with fanatics, I have no idea. I don't know.

Peace is not sought in order to provoke war, but war is waged in order to attain peace.

But I feel convinced, and I venture even to prophesy in this regard, that the time will come when there will also be a minister of peace in the cabinet, seated beside the ministers of war.

If I could cause world peace by taking someone out to lunch, I'd go, 'Well, war isn't that terrible.'

It is highly probable that in most cases, war could be avoided or ended. For discussions allow passion to subside, and to persuade alienated neighbors, or at least one of them, to listen to the voice of a conciliator is a step in the direction of peace.

There was never a good war, or a bad peace.

I could start a war in 30 seconds. But some countries spend 100 years trying to find peace. Just like good manners, peace has to be learned.

I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace.

I don't think we should ever be at war. That's kind of naive, I suppose.

... the greatest moral victory in the history of civilization if it actually keeps out of a war.

If war is so easily averted as all this it does seem a pity no P[rime] M[inister] except Neville Chamberlain] has thought of it before. Peace without Honour seems to be what we have got. I'm glad. One can't expect both.

All States do not have the same interests, but are there any interests which cannot be infinitely better reconciled before than after a war?

The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker.

The strength of a civilization is not measured by its ability to fight wars, but rather by its ability to prevent them.

We must want peace, but not be afraid of war because our fear of war made us compromise during these past few years with our principles and our standards.

We have practiced diplomacy since the very beginning of the nation. Sometimes it has not worked, and we've had to go to war. I always believe you should try to find peace and reconciliation before conflict. That has been the approach I've taken.