[...] to introduce into the philosophy of war itself a principle of moderation would be an absurdity — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Friction is the only concept that more or less corresponds to the factors that distinguish real war from war on paper. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Only the element of chance is needed to make war a gamble, and that element is never absent. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
In war everything is simple, but it's the simple things that are difficult. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Everything in war is very simple. But the simplest thing is difficult. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Four elements make up the climate of war: danger, exertion, uncertainty and chance. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Where execution is dominant, as it is in the individual events of a war whether great or small, then intellectual factors are… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is the province of chance. In no sphere of human activity is such a margin to be left for this intruder.… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
If we read history with an open mind, we cannot fail to conclude that, among all the military virtues, the energetic conduct… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The difficulty of accurate recognition constitutes one of the most serious sources of friction in war, by making things appear entirely different… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The first, the supreme, the most far-reaching act of judgment that the statesman and commander have to make is to establish ...… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
There is nothing more common than to find considerations of supply affecting the strategic lines of a campaign and a war. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
In war, where imperfect intelligence, the threat of a catastrophe, and the number of accidents are incomparably greater than any other human… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
No other human activity is so continuously or universally bound up with chance. And through the element of chance, guesswork and luck… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The general unreliability of all information presents a special problem in war: all action takes place, so to speak, in the twilight,… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Surprise becomes effective when we suddenly face the enemy at one point with far more troops than he expected. This type of… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
In 1793 such a force as no one had any conception of made its appearance. War had again suddenly become an affair… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Whenever armed forces . . . are used, the idea of combat must be present. . . . The end for which… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The deduction of effect from cause is often blocked by some insuperable extrinsic obstacle: the true causes may be quite unknown. Nowhere… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War should never be thought of as something autonomous, but always as an instrument of policy. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Every age has its own kind of war, its own limiting conditions and its own peculiar preconceptions. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
“War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.” — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
In war more than anywhere else, things do not turn out as we expect. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is a conflict of great interests which is settled by bloodshed, and only in that is it different from others. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
“...in war, the advantages and disadvantages of a single action could only be determined by the final balance.” — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The more a leader is in the habit of demanding from his men, the surer he will be that his demands will… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is the realm of uncertainty; three quarters of the factors on which action is based are wrapped in a fog of… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities;… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Intelligence alone is not courage, we often see that the most intelligent people are irresolute. Since in the rush of events a man is… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The great uncertainty of all data in war is because all action, to a certain extent, planned in a mere twilight - like the… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Self-reliance is the best defence against the pressures of the moment. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is the realm of uncertainty; three-quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
We repeat again: strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one’s balance in spite of them. Even… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
![“[...] to introduce into the philosophy of war itself a principle of moderation would be an absurdity” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/78c/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_absurdity_to-introduce-into-the-philosophy-of-war_2545332.jpg)
![“Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities; and it is still closer to politics, which in turn may be considered as a kind of commerce on a larger scale.” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c35/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_activity_rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-coul_21236.jpg)
