Quote#War
If war is forced upon us, we shall fight and, with God's help, not…
Quote byTheobald von Bethmann Hollweg · 1856–1921
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Letter to the Kaiser (6 March 1912), quoted in Konrad H. Jarauschl, ‘The Illusion of Limited War: Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg's Calculated Risk, July 1914’, Central European History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Mar., 1969), pp. 59–60.
English (original)
If war is forced upon us, we shall fight and, with God's help, not perish. But to conjure up a war ourselves without having our honor or vital interests imperiled, this I would consider a sin against Germany's destiny, even if human foresight would predict a total victory.
— Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg
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