"I am not proud of the part I played in it. I did it because it was necessary for the safety of this country. That's why I am such a great exponent of stopping this whole nonsense of war. Unfortunately limits — attempts to limit war have always failed. The lesson of history is when a war starts every nation will ultimately use whatever weapon it has available. ... Therefore, we must expect that if another war — a serious war — breaks out, we will use nuclear energy in some form."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Military leaders from the United StatesEpiscopalians from the United StatesJews from the United StatesUnited States Navy peopleJews from Poland
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
On his reasoning in developing the nuclear arsenal of the US and on the prospects of nuclear war. Testimony to Congress (28 January 1982); published in Economics of Defense Policy: Hearing before the Joint Economic Committee, Congress of the United States, 97th Cong., 2nd sess., Pt. 1 (1982)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hyman_G._Rickover
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Hyman G. Rickover
Hyman George Rickover, U.S. Navy (27 January 1900 – 8 July 1986) was a United States Navy admiral who directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of Naval Reactors. Rickover built the world's first atomic power plant in only 4.5 years, starting as a Captain in 1950 and building a team that would beat other branches of the military and all private industry to the task by launching the world's first nuclear powered subma
60 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Hyman G. Rickover →
Related Quotes
"Fish don't vote."
"If you are going to sin, sin against God, not the bureaucracy. God will forgive you but the bureaucracy won't."
"He is dead now. I am sure God will treat him as he merits."
"An academic reactor or reactor plant almost always has the following basic characteristics: (1) It is simple. (2) It …"
"The tools of the academic designer are a piece of paper and a pencil with an eraser. If a mistake is made, it can alw…"
"The academic-reactor designer is a dilettante. He has not had to assume any real responsibility in connection with hi…"
"Unfortunately for those who must make far-reaching decisions without the benefit of an intimate knowledge of reactor …"
"Yet it is incumbent on those in high places to make wise decisions and it is reasonable and important that the public…"
"Some of the ideas I try to get across to the people who work for me are the following:"
"I'll be philosophical. Until about two billion years ago, it was impossible to have any life on earth; that is, there…"