"Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there"

This quote by George Orwell is a commentary on the education system of the time. He is recommending that the education system of Eton, a prominent school in England, is not preparing trainees for the truths of war. He indicates that the students of Eton are taught to win fights, but not to avoid them. He is saying that the students of Eton are not being taught the abilities necessary to avoid wars from taking place in the first location. He is recommending that the education system of Eton is not preparing students for the truths of war, which the trainees are not being taught the abilities needed to prevent wars from happening. He is indicating that the trainees of Eton are just being taught to win battles, not to avoid them. This quote is a criticism of the education system of the time, and a suggestion that education should be focused on teaching students the skills required to avoid wars, not simply to win them.