A general in time of war is constantly bombarded by reports both true and false; by errors arising from fear or negligence… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Modern wars are seldom fought without hatred between nations; this serves more or less as a substitute for hatred between individuals. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
The object of defense is preservation; and since it is easier to hold ground than to take it, defense is easier than… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is regarded as nothing but the continuation of state policy with other means. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat an enemy without too much bloodshed, and… — 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
We must evaluate the political sympathies of other states and the effect war may have on them. To assess these things in… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Lastly, the great uncertainty of all data in War is a peculiar difficulty, because all action must, to a certain extent, be… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Of all the passions that inspire a man in a battle, none, we have to admit, is so powerful and so constant… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Everything in war is very simple, but the simplest thing is difficult. The difficulties accumulate and end by producing a kind of… — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
War is not an exercise of the will directed at an inanimate matter. — Carl von Clausewitz Copy Share Image
Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain. — 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
The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation… — 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
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 cause of inaction in war] ... is the imperfection of human perception and judgment which is more pronounced in war than… — 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
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
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
![“[The cause of inaction in war] ... is the imperfection…” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/93f/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_causes_the-cause-of-inaction-in-war-is-the-impe_2194872.jpg)
![“Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately…” 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)
