Carl von Clausewitz
Quotes
Strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one’s balance in spite of them. Even with the violence of emotion, judgment and principle must still function like a ship’s compass, which records the slightest variations however rough the sea.
War therefore is an act of violence intended to compel our opponent to fulfil our will.
War is merely the continuation of policy by other means.
We see, therefore, that war is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse carried on with other means. What remains peculiar to war is simply the peculiar nature of its means.
[...] two qualities are indispensable [...] The first is figuratively expressed by the French phrase w:coup d'oeil. The other is resolution.
...only a fraction of book learning will seep into practical life anyhow; and the more foolish the theory, the less of it.
A general who allows himself to be decisively defeated in an extended mountain position deserves to be court-martialled.
Men are always more inclined to pitch their estimate of the enemy's strength too high than too low, such is human nature.
The worst of all conditions in which a belligerent can find himself is to be utterly defenseless.
Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. Pleasant as it sounds, it is a fallacy that must be exposed: War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.
...only the element of chance is needed to make war a gamble, and that element is never absent.
There are times when the utmost daring is the height of wisdom.
...it is better to go on striking in the same direction than to move one's forces this way and that.
