Who said “Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening…”?

Verified

George Orwell. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Lion and the Unicorn (1941)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there.”
VerifiedThe Lion and the Unicorn (1941) · evidenceSchool
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Lion and the Unicorn (1941).

APA

Orwell, G. (n.d.). Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36758-probably-the-battle-of-waterloo-was-won-on/

MLA

Orwell, George. “Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36758-probably-the-battle-of-waterloo-was-won-on/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Orwell, George. “Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36758-probably-the-battle-of-waterloo-was-won-on/.