# Quotes about strategy - Quotes: 17 - Authors: 7 - Broader topic: [Quotes about taking action](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/taking-action.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.json ## Quotes > [Regarding the 'Advance to Contact'] The simple truth about war is that if you are on the attack, you can't do a damned thing until you find your enemy, and the only way to do that is to push on, at whatever speed seems prudent, until you see or hear him, or he makes his presence known by letting fly at you. [George MacDonald Fraser](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-macdonald-fraser.md) · [Quartered Safe Out Here: A Recollection of the War in Burma](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-macdonald-fraser/quartered-safe-out-here-a-recollection-of-the-war-in-burma.md) · p. 120 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-macdonald-fraser/quartered-safe-out-here-a-recollection-of-the-war-in-burma/regarding-the-advance.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > It is the enemy you underestimate who kills you. [Robert Jordan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-jordan.md) · [A Crown Of Swords](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-jordan/a-crown-of-swords.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-jordan/a-crown-of-swords/it-is-the.md) Topics: [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > Only a fool thinks his enemies stand still when he isn't looking, my Lord Dragon. [Robert Jordan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-jordan.md) · [A Crown Of Swords](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-jordan/a-crown-of-swords.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-jordan/a-crown-of-swords/only-a-fool.md) Topics: [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > Resolution and a plan are better than a sword, because a man whets his own edges on them. [Gene Wolfe](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gene-wolfe.md) · [The Citadel of the Autarch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gene-wolfe/the-citadel-of-the-autarch.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gene-wolfe/the-citadel-of-the-autarch/resolution-and-a-plan.md) Topics: [choices](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/choices.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > ...it is better to go on striking in the same direction than to move one's forces this way and that. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/it-is-better.md) Topics: [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > Surprise becomes effective when we suddenly face the enemy at one point with far more troops than he expected. This type of numerical superiority is quite distinct from numerical superiority in general: it is the most powerful medium in the art of war. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/surprise-becomes-effective.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > Every suspension of offensive action, either from erroneous views, from fear or from indolence, is in favor of the side acting defensively. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/every-suspension-of-offensive.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > If defense is the stronger form of war, yet has a negative object, it follows that it should be used only so long as weakness compels, and be abandoned as soon as we are strong enough to pursue a positive object. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/if-defense-is-the.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > ...in war, the advantages and disadvantages of a single action could only be determined by the final balance. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/in-war-the.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > What is the object of defense? To preserve. To preserve is easier than to acquire. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/what-is-the.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > A prince or general can best demonstrate his genius by managing a campaign exactly to suit his objectives and his resources, doing neither too much nor too little. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/a-prince-or-general.md) Topics: [moderation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/moderation.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > If a segment of one's force is located where it is not sufficiently busy with the enemy, or if the troops are on the march - that is, idle - while the enemy is fighting, then these forces are being managed uneconomically. In this sense they are being wasted, which is even worse than using them inappropriately. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/if-a-segment.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > War is always a struggle in which each contender tries to annihilate the other. Besides using force, they will have recourse to all possible tricks and stratagems in order to achieve the goal. [Ernesto Che Guevara](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernesto-che-guevara.md) · [Guerrilla Warfare](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernesto-che-guevara/guerrilla-warfare.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernesto-che-guevara/guerrilla-warfare/war-is-always.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > "Know yourself and your adversary and you will be able to fight a hundred battles without a single disaster." This Chinese aphorism is as valuable for guerrilla warfare as a biblical psalm. [Ernesto Che Guevara](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernesto-che-guevara.md) · [Guerrilla Warfare](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernesto-che-guevara/guerrilla-warfare.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ernesto-che-guevara/guerrilla-warfare/know-yourself-and.md) Topics: [self-knowledge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/self-knowledge.md), [enemies](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/enemies.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > If you kept the small rules, you could break the big ones. [George Orwell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell.md) · [Nineteen Eighty-Four](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/nineteen-eighty-four.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-orwell/nineteen-eighty-four/if-you-kept.md) Topics: [rebellion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/rebellion.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md) > It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety. [Isaac Asimov](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov.md) · [Foundation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/foundation.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/foundation/it-pays-to-be-obvious.md) Topics: [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md), [reputation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/reputation.md) > The whole business is the crudest sort of stratagem, since we have no way of foreseeing it to the end. It is a mere paying out of rope on the chance that somewhere along the length of it will be a noose. [Isaac Asimov](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov.md) · [Foundation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/foundation.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/foundation/the-whole-business.md) Topics: [risk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/risk.md), [strategy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/strategy.md)