John Foster Dulles Quotes

Powerful John Foster Dulles for Daily Growth

About John Foster Dulles

John Foster Dulles (February 25, 1888 – May 24, 1959) was an influential American statesman and diplomat, serving as the 52nd United States Secretary of State from January 1953 until his death in 1959. Born into a prestigious family, Dulles was the brother of Allen W. Dulles, who served as the first Director of Central Intelligence. Dulles graduated from Princeton University with an A.B. degree in 1908 and later earned a law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1912. His career in international law began when he worked for Sullivan & Cromwell, where he represented U.S. corporations investing overseas and foreign governments. Dulles' political life took off during World War II, serving as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on post-war planning. He played a significant role in drafting the United Nations Charter at the San Francisco Conference in 1945. After the war, he served as a founding partner of the New York City law firm, Sullivan & Cromwell. In 1950, Dulles was appointed to the post of U.S. Special Representative for Disarmament by President Harry S. Truman, and in 1952, he became a key advisor during Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential campaign. When Eisenhower took office in January 1953, Dulles was appointed as the Secretary of State. During his tenure, Dulles is best known for his foreign policy stance, famously referred to as "brinkmanship." He advocated for a strong anti-communist strategy during the Cold War, including the use of military force when necessary. Some of his major works include "War or Peace and Victory or Defeat: The Only Alternatives to American Foreign Policy" (1950) and "The Cold War: A Study in U.S.-Soviet Relations, 1917-1953" (1966). Dulles' legacy is complex, with many viewing him as a strong-willed diplomat, while others criticize his hardline stance during the Cold War. Despite this, his influence on U.S. foreign policy remains significant.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have never been reluctant to pay that price."

This quote by John Foster Dulles highlights the idea that upholding freedom often requires significant sacrifices, yet it's a cost that Americans have consistently been willing to endure. It implies a strong commitment to liberty, self-determination, and justice, even when it demands effort, resources, or other forms of sacrifice. In essence, Dulles underscores the resilience, courage, and patriotism of the American people in their pursuit of freedom.

"It is a sad truth that we can't both have strong arms and a free world."

The quote by John Foster Dulles emphasizes the often-conflicting nature between military strength (strong arms) and the preservation of freedom in a society or world context. It suggests that while a strong military can provide security, it may come at the cost of individual liberties and democratic values. The idea is that an excessive focus on military power might lead to oppressive policies, limiting the freedom of its citizens and the rest of the world. This balance between security and freedom remains a complex issue in international politics and national policy-making today.

"In the last analysis, it is their right to be free or slaves."

This quote by John Foster Dulles emphasizes that ultimately, a people's fundamental freedom – to live as free individuals or as enslaved subjects – is a basic human right. It underscores the belief that all human beings should have the choice and ability to determine their own destiny without external coercion or oppression.

"The only way to win was to fight and win."

This quote by John Foster Dulles highlights a mindset that victory can only be achieved through persistence and struggle, emphasizing the importance of resilience and determination in overcoming challenges or conflicts. It suggests that giving up or avoiding conflict is not an option for those who wish to succeed, but rather, they must engage, persevere, and ultimately emerge victorious. However, it's crucial to remember that this interpretation should be balanced with an understanding of the potential costs and consequences of conflict, as well as the importance of diplomacy and negotiation in resolving disputes.

"We want peace, but we are not weak. We will have peace if we can have it on honorable terms."

This quote suggests that the speaker desires peace but is unwilling to compromise on principles or values (honorable terms). They imply that they seek a resolution that upholds their strength, integrity, and dignity, not one that weakens them or compromises their core beliefs. The statement underscores the importance of maintaining honor while pursuing peace.

I wouldn't attach too much importance to these student riots. I remember when I was a student at the Sorbonne in Paris, I used to go out and riot occasionally.

- John Foster Dulles

History, I Remember, Riots

The world will never have lasting peace so long as men reserve for war the finest human qualities. Peace, no less than war, requires idealism and self-sacrifice and a righteous and dynamic faith.

- John Foster Dulles

Politics, Will, Idealism, Reserve

The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art. If you try to run away from it, if you are scared to go to the brink, you are lost.

- John Foster Dulles

Art, Away, Necessary, Brink

We walked to the brink and we looked it in the face.

- John Foster Dulles

Face, Walked, Looked, Brink

Our capacity to retaliate must be, and is, massive in order to deter all forms of aggression.

- John Foster Dulles

Must, Massive, Retaliate, Deter

Mankind will never win lasting peace so long as men use their full resources only in tasks of war. While we are yet at peace, let us mobilize the potentialities, particularly the moral and spiritual potentialities, which we usually reserve for war.

- John Foster Dulles

Long, Use, While, Tasks

Of all tasks of government the most basic is to protect its citizens against violence.

- John Foster Dulles

Government, Against, Most, Tasks

A man's accomplishments in life are the cumulative effect of his attention to detail.

- John Foster Dulles

Attention, Effect, His, Accomplishments

Once - many, many years ago - I thought I made a wrong decision. Of course, it turned out that I had been right all along. But I was wrong to have thought that I was wrong.

- John Foster Dulles

Decision, Thought, Been, Wrong Decision

There are plenty of problems in the world, many of them interconnected. But there is no problem which compares with this central, universal problem of saving the human race from extinction.

- John Foster Dulles

Race, Interconnected, Which, Universal

The United Nations was not set up to be a reformatory. It was assumed that you would be good before you got in and not that being in would make you good.

- John Foster Dulles

United, United Nations, Set, Nations

The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.

- John Foster Dulles

Success, Success Is, Deal, Last Year

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