Chester W. Nimitz quotes

Chester W. Nimitz was an American admiral who played a crucial role in the Pacific theater during World War II. As Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, his leadership was instrumental in achieving victory over Japan. He later served as Chief of Naval Operations and became one of the United States Navy's most celebrated figures. Here are 39 of his quotes:

A ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder.

Chester W. Nimitz

Is the proposed operation likely to succeed? What might be the consequences of failure? Is it in the realm of practicability in terms of matériel and supplies?

Chester W. Nimitz

The U. S.'s major strength factor and weapon is its economy. If you cripple it, you cripple the military.

Chester W. Nimitz

Hindsight is notably cleverer than foresight.

Chester W. Nimitz

Our present control of the sea is so absolute that it is sometimes taken for granted.

Chester W. Nimitz

We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds.

Chester W. Nimitz

The enemy of our games was always Japan, and the courses were so thorough that after the start of World War II, nothing that happened in the Pacific was strange or unexpected.

Chester W. Nimitz

I do believe we are going to have a major war, with Japan and Germany, and that the war is going to start by a very serious surprise attack and defeat of U.S. armed forces, and that there is going to be a major revulsion on the part of the political power in Washington against all those in command at sea, and they are going to be thrown out, though it won't be their fault necessarily. And I wish to be in a position of sufficient prominence so that I will then be considered as one to be sent to sea, because that appears to be the route.

Chester W. Nimitz

Some of the best advice I've had comes from junior officers and enlisted men.

Chester W. Nimitz

That is not to say that we can relax our readiness to defend ourselves. Our armament must be adequate to the needs, but our faith is not primarily in these machines of defense but in ourselves.

Chester W. Nimitz

It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on U.S. soil.

Chester W. Nimitz

The United States possesses today control of the sea more absolute than was possessed by the British. Our interest in this control is not riches and power as such. It is first the assurance of our national security, and, second, the creation and perpetuation of that balance and stability among nations which will insure to each the right of self-determination under the framework of the United Nations Organization.

Chester W. Nimitz

If we are to project our power against the vital areas of any enemy across the ocean before beachheads on enemy territory are captured, it must be by air-sea power; by aircraft launched from carriers; and by heavy surface ships and submarines projecting guided missiles and rockets. If present promise is developed by research, test and production, these three types of air-sea power operating in concert will be able within the next ten years critically to damage enemy vital areas many hundreds of miles inland. Naval task forces including these types are capable of remaining at sea for months. This capability has raised to a high point the art of concentrating air power within effective range of enemy objectives.

Chester W. Nimitz

The war with Japan had been enacted in the game rooms at the War College by so many people and in so many different ways that nothing that happened during the war was a surprise-absolutely nothing except the kamikaze tactics toward the end of the war. We had not visualized these.

Chester W. Nimitz

Sir Walter Raleigh declared in the early 17th century that "whoever commands the sea, commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself." This principle is as true today as when uttered, and its effect will continue as long as ships traverse the seas.

Chester W. Nimitz

Among the Americans serving on Iwo island, uncommon valor was a common virtue.

Chester W. Nimitz

The basic objectives and principles of war do not change. The final objective in war is the destruction of the enemy's capacity and will to fight, and thereby force him to accept the imposition of the victor's will.

Chester W. Nimitz

Leadership consists of picking good men and helping them do their best.

Chester W. Nimitz

I felt that it was an unnecessary loss of civilian life... We had them beaten. They hadn't enough food, they couldn't do anything.

Chester W. Nimitz

When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in 31 December, 1941; our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the Fleet that could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come.

Chester W. Nimitz

The atomic bomb played no decisive part, from a purely military standpoint, in the defeat of Japan.

Chester W. Nimitz

Pearl Harbor has now been partially avenged.

Chester W. Nimitz