(See also PLACATION.)

all quiet on the Potomac A period of peace during a war; any time marked by the absence of fighting or quarreling. This expression (now used ironically or humorously) is generally thought to have originated and gained currency during the Civil War. It appeared as early as 1861 in an article by E. L. Beers in Harper’s Weekly. Simon Cameron, then Secretary of War, frequently used the phrase in his bulletins reporting the state of the war. Its origin has also been attributed to General George McClellan.

all quiet on the Western Front Peaceful, calm. This phrase is an update of the earlier all quiet on the Potomac. It was the official statement issued each day by the War Department during the periods of relatively little trench fighting in World War I.

bury the hatchet To lay down arms, to cease fighting, to make peace; also to bury the ax or tomahawk. The allusion is to the North American Indian custom of burying tomahawks, scalping-knives, and war clubs as a sign of good faith when concluding a peace. The procedure is described by Washington Irving in Adventures of Captain Bonneville (1837):

The expression dates from the late 1600s. See also take up the hatchet, COMBAT.

calm before the storm A period of relative peacefulness preceding an outbreak of confusion and tumult; the quiet and sane minutes just before chaos erupts. A drop in the barometric pressure prior to a thunderstorm produces an uncomfortable, almost eerie feeling of calmness. This meterological phenomenon has given rise to the popular expression calm before the storm.

dove A pacifist, one who opposes war, in contrast to a “hawk,” who advocates a belligerent, warlike policy; one who favors negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences. The dove has been a symbol of peace in art and literature since Noah sent a dove from the ark to see if the waters had abated (Genesis 8:8-12). Dove referring to an antiwar advocate gained currency in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and eventually became the label for those advocating withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam.

halcyon days A time of peace and prosperity; palmy or golden days. The halcyon was a bird, usually identified as a type of kingfisher, which bred in nests floating on the sea. The ancients believed that these birds charmed the winds and waves of the sea into tranquillity during their breeding season.

Thus, halycon days originally referred to the two weeks of calm weather about the time of the winter solstice during which the halcyons bred. The current, figurative sense of halcyon days dates from the latter half of the 16th century.

hold out the olive branch To make an overture for peace; to indicate one’s peaceful intentions. Long considered a token or symbol of peace, the olive branch was represented as such in Genesis 8:11:

A more recent example of its use appears below:

Today this phrase still frequently appears in formal contexts.

raise the white flag See SUBMISSION.