Home / Authors / Michael Howard

Michael Howard Quotes

Military Historian

Michael Howard, a renowned military historian, was born on November 29, 1922. He has made significant contributions to the field of military history, particularly in the study of the Second World War.

Filter quotes by topic

All History Thinking Past Clever Forever Government Law Men Military Ministers

Famous Michael Howard Quotes

“Instill within yourself the ability to generate passion in whatever you do, as this is the only driving force that will motivate you to achieve. No one else can motivate you or make you successful. Ensure you have self-integrity and honour towards others set in a framework of guiding principles, and little tolerance for those who don’t.”

Inspirational Engineer Ceo Quotes

Author:Michael Howard

“I am happy to debate the past with the Prime Minister... I have a big dossier on his past, and I did not even have to sex it up.”

Bigs Past Sex Debate Ministers Prime Prime Minister

Author:Michael Howard

“We must rediscover the habit of thinking the best of each other”

Thinking Love Happiness Friendship Family Relationship Habit

Author:Michael Howard

“The important thing when you are going to do something brave is to have someone on hand to witness it.”

Important Hands Bravery Important Things Brave Witness

Author:Michael Howard

“Let us be clear. Prison works. It ensures that we are protected from murderers, muggers and rapists, and it makes many who are tempted to commit crime think twice.”

Thinking Clear Crime Prison Commit Working It Protected Murderer Tempted Think Twice Muggers

Author:Michael Howard

“I believe abortion should be available to everyone, but the law should be changed. In the past I voted for a restriction to 22 weeks, and I would be prepared to go down to 20.”

Should Believe Would Be Past Law I Believe Week Changed Prepared Available Abortion Be Prepared Restriction

Author:Michael Howard

“The true use of history, whether civil or military, is not to make man clever for the next time, it is to make him wise forever.”

Men Use Wisdom Next History Forever Wise Military Clever Next Time

Author:Michael Howard

“There is only one opinion poll that I am interested in and that is the one that will take place on election day.”

Opinion Election Polls Election Day Opinion Polls

Author:Michael Howard

“I will never stand again for the leadership of the Conservative Party.”

Party Conservative Conservative Party

Author:Michael Howard

“What is Parliament for if it is not to be a means to make ministers accountable for the services for which they are responsible.”

Ifs Mean Responsible Ministers Parliament

Author:Michael Howard

“We cannot possibly take them all into this country [asylum seekers] - it is a completely unrealistic expectation.”

Country Expectations Seekers Asylums Unrealistic Expectations Asylum Seekers

Author:Michael Howard

“A common language is the most obvious binding element in any society.”

Language Common Elements Obvious Binding Common Language

Author:Michael Howard

“We're not saying, 'We're politicians, trust us.' We know you don't trust us.”

Knows Trust Politician Don't Trust

Author:Michael Howard

“Tony Blair is already secretly grinning at the prospect of his third victory. You don't have to settle for that.”

Victory Thirds Settling Blair Grinning

Author:Michael Howard

“So long as the international community consists of sovereign states, war between them remains a possibility, of which all governments have to take reasonable account.”

Long War States Government Peace Community Possibility Accounts Remains International Reasonable Sovereign International Community

Book:The Causes of Wars and Other Essays

Source: The Causes of Wars and Other Essays

“History is what we read, write and think about the past.”

Thinking Writing Past History

Author:Michael Howard

“I make no apologies for any inconsistencies or contradictions in my essays. Those who do not change their minds in the course of a decade have probably stopped thinking all together. The true use of history, whether civil or military, is not to make man clever for the next time, it is to make him wise forever.”

Thinking Men Mind Use Together Courses Next History Forever Wise Military Decades Clever Contradiction Apology Next Time Essays Inconsistency

Author:Michael Howard

“People often of masterful intelligence, trained usually in law or economics or perhaps in political science, who have led their governments into disastrous decisions and miscalculations because they have no awareness whatever of the historical background, the cultural universe, of the foreign societies with which they have to deal.”

People Government Law Political Universe Decision Deals History Awareness Economics Historical Backgrounds Political Science In-laws Miscalculations

Author:Michael Howard

About the Author

Born: November 29, 1922
Known for: Military Historian
Quotes: 18

Books & Sources

The Causes of Wars and Other EssaysRelated source material

Similar Authors

David FromkinBrowse related quotes
Geoffrey WardBrowse related quotes
Ernst TroeltschBrowse related quotes
Eamon DuffyBrowse related quotes
Kevin O'HigginsBrowse related quotes
John Holland RoseBrowse related quotes
Klemens von MetternichBrowse related quotes
Robert Roswell PalmerBrowse related quotes
Lucien FebvreBrowse related quotes
EpimenidesBrowse related quotes