Quotes to help you analyze war propaganda, to identify patterns and to use what you learn to challenge those who wage war.
by Taylor O’Connor | 15 October 2024
Photo courtesy of Gratisography
We watch US government spokespersons everyday lying to the American public to support their war efforts in Ukraine and rationalize the US-sponsored genocide in Gaza. They use carefully curated language to conceal the truth, to craft alternate realities, and to deceive the US public. But this is nothing new to the US government, nor is it unique to the United States.
War propaganda is a core pillar to war, genocide and atrocities throughout history and all over the world. War propaganda takes many forms and the language used is often quite creative, but war propaganda tends to follow similar patterns.
Political leaders and others who profit from war use lies and deception as tools in their war efforts. Propaganda conceals the truth, rationalizes violence, and hides the horror of war, all in service of political leaders and others who profit from war.
So to help us in deconstructing war propaganda, I have collected some quotes from great thinkers from around the world and across history. I hope that the their words help you to recognize patterns in war propaganda, that you my deconstruct war propaganda of today and challenge those political leaders and others who profit from war.
Key messages from these quotes on war propaganda
In reviewing these 26 quotes analyzing the nature of war propaganda there are numerous key messages that they convey. Below is a list of key messages:
- Dehumanization of the enemy is central to war efforts, thus a pillar of war propaganda.
- War is always falsely presented as a noble crusade, to destroy evil, masking interests of political leaders and those who profit from war.
- Propagandists promise quick victory, but reality is that war is seldom short and generally leads to widespread suffering.
- War is often presented by leaders as self-defense, disguising its true nature.
- Leaders and those that that seek to wage war, must always manipulate public perception and distort reality to gain control over public opinion and shape it to support war.
- War propagandists often attack historical understanding as a public that doesn’t understand history, or believes a sanitized form of history is more susceptible to war propaganda.
Quotes deconstructing war propaganda
Below you will find 26 quotes deconstructing war propaganda.
I have split them into three groups:
- Quotes on the framing of war
- Quotes on war propagandists
- Quotes on war lies and deception
Quotes on the framing of war
Quotes listed below discuss how war is often framed as a defensive action, distorting reality to justify violence and manipulate public perception. They emphasize the illusion that war can lead to quick, decisive victories, but in reality, it only leads to suffering and devastation for all involved. Additionally, propaganda and political language play a key role in manipulating truth, erasing historical understanding, and keeping people focused on the wrong questions to obscure the true motives behind conflict.
“Every war when it comes, or before it comes, is represented not as a war but as an act of self-defense against a homicidal maniac.” – George Orwell (Writer, 1903 – 1950, England)
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.” – Robert Lynd (Writer, Journalist, 1879 – 1949, Ireland)
“Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight? They never mention that part to us, do they?” – George Carlin (Comedian, 1937 – 2008, USA)
“War is, at first, the hope that one will be better off; next, the expectation that the other fellow will be worse off; then, the satisfaction that he isn’t any better off; and, finally, the surprise at everyone’s being worse off.” – Karl Kraus (Writer, journalist, 1874 – 1936, Austrian)
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” – George Orwell (Writer, 1903 – 1950, England)
“It is not only that war consists of a series of catastrophes that result in victory, but also that propaganda portrays this as triumph.” – Georges Clemenceau (Former Prime Minister of France, 1841 – 1929, France)
“Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.” – Eric Hoffer (Philosopher, writer, 1902 – 1983, USA)
“Political language… is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” – George Orwell (Writer, 1903 – 1950, England)
“If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers.” – Thomas Pynchon (Writer, 1937, USA)
Quotes on war propagandists
Quotes listed below discuss the deception by politicans, leaders and media that produce and spread propaganda. They highlight how those who promote war use propaganda to manipulate and control public opinion. They also discuss how the propagandist aims to dehumanize the target of their war and disguise the horrors of violence perpetrate as a noble crusade, while hiding uncomfortable truths from their own citizens.
“Anyone who has proclaimed violence his method inexorably must choose lying as his principle.” – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Writer, 1918 – 2008, Russia)
“Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. Frankly, I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked about such a thing.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower (Former President of the United States, 1890 – 1969, USA)
“A man who says that no patriot should attack the war until it is over is saying no good son should warn his mother of a cliff until she has fallen.” – G.K. Chesterton (Writer, philosopher, 1874 – 1936, England)
“Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.” – Noam Chomsky (Academic, author, activist, 1928, USA)
“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.” – Joseph Goebbels (Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, 1 897 – 1945, Germany)
“Wars, conflict, it’s all business. One murder makes a villain. Millions a hero. Numbers sanctify.” – Charlie Chaplin (Actor, comedian, 1889 – 1977, England)
“The propagandist’s purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human.” – Aldous Huxley (Writer, philosopher, 1894 – 1963, England)
“All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for countries whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.” – I.F. Stone (Journalist, 1907 – 1989, USA)
Quotes on war lies and deception
Quotes below highlight the lies and deception inherent in war, illustrating how lies often underpin acts of violence and are strategically used to manipulate public perception. Many emphasize that in times of war, truth is either distorted or sacrificed entirely, replaced by propaganda and misleading narratives to justify or sustain the violence. The overarching theme is that deception is not only central to waging war but is also deliberately maintained as long as the truth can be hidden.
“All war is based on deception.” – Sun Tzu (Military strategist, philosopher, 544 BC – 496 BC, China)
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” – Voltaire (Writer, philosopher, 1694 – 1778, France)
“Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence.” – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Writer, 1918 – 2008, Russia)
“The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie.” – Joseph Goebbels (Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, 1897 – 1945, Germany)
“The first casualty of war is truth.” – Hiram Johnson (Politician, 1866 – 1945, USA)
“In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.” – Winston Churchill (Former Prime Minister of the UK, 1874 – 1965, England)
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” – Joseph Goebbels (Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, 1897 – 1945, Germany)
“In war, truth is the first casualty.” – Aeschylus (Playwright, 525/524 – c. 456/455 BC, Ancient Greece)
“During times of war, truth is always replaced by propaganda.” – Charles Lindbergh (Pilot, military officer, 1902 – 1974, USA)
“Why, of course, the people don’t want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship. The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism.” – Hermann Goering at Nuremburg Trial (Nazi military leader, 1893 – 1946, Germany)
Deconstruct war propaganda and challenge war propagandists
As we’ve seen through these powerful quotes, war propaganda is not just a tool of the past but an ongoing method used by governments and leaders to manipulate public perception and justify violence. By understanding the deceptive patterns in language and recognizing the manipulation behind these narratives, we can actively challenge the lies that fuel wars today.
I encourage you to reflect on these quotes, apply their lessons to current events, and take action—whether that means speaking out, educating others, or simply refusing to accept the falsehoods that perpetuate conflict. The more we can expose and dismantle war propaganda, the closer we get to a more just and peaceful world.
If you like this article, check out my other one that included many more peace quotes: 121 Quotes that Analyze the Nature of War and Violence
Also, if you have a quote that you think I should add to this list, please CLICK HERE to share it with me.
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