Sir Edward Grey echoed this: More than one true thing may be said about the causes of the war, but the statement that comprises most truth is that militarism and the armaments inseparable from it made war inevitable. Armaments were intended to produce a sense of security in each nation — that was the justification put forward in defence of them. What they really did was to produce fear in everybody. Jonathan Glover
About This Quote

The concept of a deterrent was a long held goal in human history. In the late 19th century, military leaders such as Count Alfred Toulon and Major-General William Robertson advocated for creating a sense of security by building up their country’s military strength. They reasoned that if everyone felt that they were at risk, then war would be unlikely to break out. Unfortunately, the arms race that followed soon put all those military leaders and their followers in danger.

When one state built up its military power, another could not feel secure and resorted to building up its own arsenal as well. The arms race was a vicious circle that could not be broken easily by even the most talented statesmen and military leaders.

Source: Humanity: A Moral History Of The Twentieth Century

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