"If any foreign minister begins to defend to the death a "peace conference," you can be sure his government has already placed its orders for new battleships and airplanes"

This quote by Joseph Stalin is an alerting to the global community that a nation's words and actions might not constantly be in positioning. He is suggesting that if a foreign minister is overly enthusiastic about a peace conference, it might be an indication that their government is actually getting ready for war. This could be in the type of buying brand-new battleships and airplanes, which are weapons of war. Stalin is suggesting that a country's words ought to not be taken at face value, and that it is necessary to take a look at their actions also. This quote functions as a pointer that peace is not always what it seems, and that it is important to be familiar with the potential for conflict.