"The chains of military despotism, once fastened upon a nation, ages might pass away before they could be shaken off"
- William Henry Harrison
About this Quote
In this quote, William Henry Harrison is alerting against the dangers of military despotism, or the rule of a nation by a single military leader. He suggests that once a nation falls under the control of such a leader, it can be incredibly challenging to break devoid of their grasp. Harrison stresses the seriousness of this scenario by specifying that it could take ages, or a long time, for the chains of military despotism to be gotten rid of. This quote acts as a cautionary tip of the prospective repercussions of allowing a single person to hold excessive power and control over a nation.
"Developments in information technology and globalised media mean that the most powerful military in the history of the world can lose a war, not on the battlefield of dust and blood, but on the battlefield of world opinion"
"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded"
"After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. I sure as hell wouldn't want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military"
"We shall listen, not lecture; learn, not threaten. We will enhance our safety by earning the respect of others and showing respect for them. In short, our foreign policy will rest on the traditional American values of restraint and empathy, not on military might"
"The later it gets the more disturbed the city becomes. I go with Albert through the streets. Men are standing in groups at every corner. Rumours are flying. It is said that the military have already fired on a procession of demonstrating workers"
"As costly as it was in the lives of our men and women in uniform, in military assets, and in esteem and pride, Pearl Harbor was a watershed moment for America"
