Henry L. Stimson quotes

Henry L. Stimson was an American statesman and lawyer who played a major role in U.S. foreign and military policy during the first half of the twentieth century. As Secretary of War and Secretary of State, he influenced decisions in both World Wars and U.S. diplomacy. He is remembered for his leadership during World War II and his involvement in the development of the atomic bomb. Here are 27 of his quotes:

Gentlemen don't read each other's mail.

Henry L. Stimson

The only deadly sin I know is cynicism.

Henry L. Stimson

The only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him.

Henry L. Stimson

As to the war with Japan, the President had already received my memorandum in general as to the possibility of getting a substantial unconditional surrender from Japan which I had written before leaving Washington and which he had approved.

Henry L. Stimson

There has been growing quite a strain of irritating feeling between our government and the Russians and it seems to me that it is a time for me to use all the restraint I can on these other people who have been apparently getting a little more irritated.

Henry L. Stimson

Now the thing is not to get into unnecessary quarrels by talking too much and not to indicate any weakness by talking too much; let our actions speak for themselves.

Henry L. Stimson

But I think the bomb instead constitutes merely a first step in a new control by man over the forces of nature too revolutionary and dangerous to fit into old concepts.

Henry L. Stimson

We had news this morning of another successful atomic bomb being dropped on Nagasaki. These two heavy blows have fallen in quick succession upon the Japanese and there will be quite a little space before we intend to drop another.

Henry L. Stimson

The bomb and the entrance of the Russians into the war will certainly have an effect on hastening the victory.

Henry L. Stimson

We think it will be shortly afterwards, but it seems a terrible thing to gamble with such big stakes in diplomacy without having your master card in your hand.

Henry L. Stimson

The President so far has struck me as a man who is trying hard to keep his balance. He certainly has been very receptive to all my efforts in these directions.

Henry L. Stimson

It seems as if everybody in the country was getting impatient to get his or her particular soldier out of the Army and to upset the carefully arranged system of points for retirement which we had arranged with the approval of the Army itself.

Henry L. Stimson

We debated long over the situation for it is a very difficult question and all of us recognize its difficulty.

Henry L. Stimson

The decision to weigh Lieut. Gen. Patton's great services to his country, in World War I and World War II, from these shores to Casablanca and through Tunisia to triumph in Sicily, on the one hand, against an indefensible act on the other, was Gen. Eisenhower's.

Henry L. Stimson

I am confident that you will agree with me that Gen. Eisenhower's decision, under these difficult circumstances, was right and proper.

Henry L. Stimson

The latter is the fact but I am afraid it will make a tremendous hole in our constitutional system.

Henry L. Stimson

After I had gone through this matter with the President I told him of my condition of health and that my doctors felt that I must take a complete rest and that I thought that that meant leaving the Department finally in a short time.

Henry L. Stimson

I told him that my own opinion was that the time now and the method now to deal with Russia was to keep our mouths shut and let our actions speak for words.

Henry L. Stimson

The Japanese campaign involves therefore two great uncertainties; first, whether Russia will come in though we think that will be all right; and second, when and how S-1 will resolve itself.

Henry L. Stimson

I think it is very important that I should have a talk with you as soon as possible on a highly secret matter. I mentioned it to you shortly after you took office but have not urged it since on account of the pressure you have been under.

Henry L. Stimson

I told him there was one city that they must not bomb without my permission and that was Kyoto.

Henry L. Stimson

Over any such tangled wave of problems the S-1 secret would be dominant and yet we will not know until after that time probably, until after that meeting, whether this is a weapon in our hands or not.

Henry L. Stimson