“I can not believe that war is the best solution. No one won the last war, and no one will win the next war.”
- October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962
- American
- First Lady of the United States, Diplomat, Human Rights Advocate, Chair of the UN Human Rights Commission
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Quote
“I can not believe that war is the best solution. No one won the last war, and no one will win the next war.”
Explanation
In this quote, Eleanor Roosevelt expresses a firm moral stance against war, challenging the notion that armed conflict can ever be a true solution. She reflects on the devastation of past wars—particularly the immense human and societal cost of World War II—and asserts that even the so-called victors bear irreversible losses. Her statement that “no one will win the next war” is a stark warning about the futility and mutual destruction inherent in modern warfare.
Roosevelt, who witnessed firsthand the suffering caused by global conflict and later helped shape the post-war human rights framework at the United Nations, believed deeply in diplomacy, understanding, and cooperation as the true paths to peace. Her words reflect both a personal conviction and a broader vision for international relations rooted in shared humanity, not domination.
Today, her message remains profoundly relevant. In an age of advanced weaponry and nuclear threat, the consequences of war are no longer confined to battlefields—they ripple through economies, environments, and generations. Roosevelt’s quote reminds us that peace is not weakness, and that the true victory lies in preventing war, not surviving it.
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