The phrase "War is hell" is famously attributed to General William Tecumseh Sherman.

He articulated this sentiment to convey the brutal and destructive nature of warfare, particularly during his military campaigns in the Civil War. Sherman believed that the horrors of war were not only inevitable but necessary to bring about a swift conclusion to the conflict. His strategies, including his infamous "March to the Sea," aimed to undermine the South’s will to fight. Sherman's candid acknowledgment of war's brutality has left a lasting impact on how war is perceived in American history.