“Why, of course, the people don’t want war, why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when
the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one
piece? Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia
nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is
understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who
determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people
along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a
Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.”
“The people
can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All
you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the
pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It
works the same way in any country.”- Herman Goering