What Do the Terms “Hawks” and “Doves” Mean in a War and How Did They Originate?

Those who side with war have been called “hawks” since 1798, when Thomas Jefferson coined the term war hawk.

The description of those who favor peace as doves is from the biblical book of Genesis.

When Noah sent a dove over the water to see if it was receding, it returned with an olive leaf, indicating there was land nearby.

The modern use began during the Cuban Missile Crisis and continues to the present.