His first priority at the time, sure. That doesn't sum up the whole of what the war meant or what was at stake over the course of the war. What we Americans were fighting for in WWII, say, wasn't the totality of what the war meant for all the people involved.
Your comment can be applied to virtually every war in human history. Actually no one at any time understands all of the (even major) consequences of any significant conflict, civil or military. You could make up an interesting parlor game as to any major event, having your guests compete as to whom can identify the most unintended &/or unstated consequences.
Right.