Herman Kahn Quotes about War

Nuclear war is such an emotional subject that many people see the weapons themselves as the common enemy of humanity.

Nuclear war is such an emotional subject that many people see the weapons themselves as the common enemy of humanity.

Herman Kahn

War, Emotional, People

Herman Kahn (1985). “Thinking Unth 80SP”, p.31, Simon and Schuster

World War I broke out largely because of an arms race, and World War II because of the lack of an arms race.

Herman Kahn

War, Race, World

Herman Kahn (1985). “Thinking Unth 80SP”, p.25, Simon and Schuster

For some years I have spent my time on exactly these questions - both in thinking about ways to prevent war, and in thinking about how to fight, survive, and terminate a war, should it occur.

Herman Kahn

War, Fighting, Thinking

Herman Kahn, Paul Dragoș Aligică, Kenneth R. Weinstein (2009). “The Essential Herman Kahn: In Defense of Thinking”, p.11, Lexington Books

From a scientific perspective there is some indication that a nuclear war could deplete the earth's ozone layer or, less likely, could bring on a new Ice Age - but there is no suggestion that either the created order or mankind would be destroyed in the process.

Herman Kahn

War, Ozone, Order

Herman Kahn (1985). “Thinking Unth 80SP”, p.30, Simon and Schuster

The widespread diffusion of nuclear weapons would make many nations able, and in some cases also create the pressure, to aggravate an on-going crisis, or even touch off a war between two other powers for purposes of their own.

Herman Kahn

War, Aggravation, Two

New developments in weapon systems during the 1950s and early 1960s created a situation that was most dangerous, and even conducive to accidental war.

Herman Kahn

War, Weapons, Development

Herman Kahn, Paul Dragoș Aligică, Kenneth R. Weinstein (2009). “The Essential Herman Kahn: In Defense of Thinking”, p.36, Lexington Books

Anything that reduces war-related destruction should not be considered altogether immoral.

Herman Kahn

War, Destruction, Should

Herman Kahn, Paul Dragoș Aligică, Kenneth R. Weinstein (2009). “The Essential Herman Kahn: In Defense of Thinking”, p.33, Lexington Books

In 1960 I published a book that attempted to direct attention to the possibility of a thermonuclear war, to ways of reducing the likelihood of such a war, and to methods for coping with the consequences should war occur despite our efforts to avoid it.

Herman Kahn

War, Book, Effort

Herman Kahn, Paul Dragoș Aligică, Kenneth R. Weinstein (2009). “The Essential Herman Kahn: In Defense of Thinking”, p.10, Lexington Books