WIST Quotations

Acheson, Dean -- “Acheson’s Rule of Bureaucracy”

Dave — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 00:24:15 +0000

A memorandum is written not to inform the reader but to protect the writer.

Dean Acheson (1893–1971) American statesman
“Acheson’s Rule of Bureaucracy”

Quoted in Alan Otten, "Politics and People: More Rules," Wall Street Journal (1977-09-08). Paul Dickson's The Official Rules (1978), indicates that it was recalled by Harold P. Smith for Otten.

Acheson, Dean -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:06:58 +0000

I am something of a stoic, both by nature and by inheritance. And I learned from the example of my father that the manner in which one endures what must be endured is more important than the thing that must be endured.

Dean Acheson (1893–1971) American statesman
(Attributed)

Quoted in Merle Miller, Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman (1986)

Acheson, Dean -- Present at the Creation: My Years in the State Department (1969)

Dave — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 13:39:14 +0000

Force can overcome force, but a free society cannot long steel itself to dominate another people by sheer force.

Dean Acheson (1893–1971) American statesman
Present at the Creation: My Years in the State Department (1969)

Acheson, Dean -- The Pattern of Responsibility (1952)

Dave — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:47:46 +0000

You can’t argue with a river, it is going to flow. You can dam it up, you can put it to useful purposes, you can deflect it, but you can’t argue with it.

Dean Acheson (1893–1971) American statesman
The Pattern of Responsibility (1952)

Full text.

Acheson, Dean -- National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68), Sec. 7 “Present Risks” (14 Apr 1950) [with Paul Nitze]

Dave — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 12:46:50 +0000

No people in history have preserved their freedom who thought that by not being strong enough to protect themselves they might prove inoffensive to their enemies.

Dean Acheson (1893–1971) American statesman
National Security Council Report 68 (NSC-68), Sec. 7 “Present Risks” (14 Apr 1950) [with Paul Nitze]

Usually paraphrased as "No people in history have ever survived who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies."