---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every soldier must know, before he goes…"
description: "\"Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his figh..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png"
---

#  Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how…

![“Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole.” quote by Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png)

> “Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole.”

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Understanding each soldier’s role within the broader strategy ensures coordinated effort and overall success.

**In simple terms:** Know your part in the bigger plan.

Key Takeaway

Align personal actions with larger goals.

Themes

strategy leadership teamwork purpose

Mood

serious instructive

Type

military motivational

When to use this quote

- battle planning
- training
- mission execution

Key Concepts

military tactics systems thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your role affect the whole?
- What if the larger picture changes?

A Different Perspective

Over‑emphasis on hierarchy can stifle initiative.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [No man was ever a good soldier but the man who goes into the battle determined to conquer, or not to come back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/no-man-was-ever-a-good-soldier-but-the-man-who-goes-into-the-battle/)

[Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/)

> [“She had a hard time making herself let go and they waged a short, silent, silly little battle that he won, which she reluctantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/she-had-a-hard-time-making-herself-let-go-and-they-waged-a-short/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [I'm like a fire hose when the alarm goes off in a battle against a woman. Don't ever count me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-riggs/i-m-like-a-fire-hose-when-the-alarm-goes-off-in-a-battle-against-a/)

[Bobby Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-riggs/)

> [“Father bent down and whispered into the air between her and Eben. "Our first king was a soldier, you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-dou/father-bent-down-and-whispered-into-the-air-between-her-and-eben-our/)

[Lea Doué](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-dou/)

> [As a soldier, I stand ready to serve and protect and defend this country. And as a soldier, I know the cost of war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/as-a-soldier-i-stand-ready-to-serve-and-protect-and-defend-this/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [To be a successful soldier you must know history. . . . What you must know is how man reacts. Weapons change but man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/to-be-a-successful-soldier-you-must-know-history-what-you-must-know/)

[George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/)

> [To be a successful soldier, you must know history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-successful-soldier-you-must-know-history/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Be like a soldier, know when to fight, know when to surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-like-a-soldier-know-when-to-fight-know-when-to-surrender/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/it-doesn-t-take-a-hero-to-order-men-into-battle-it-takes-a-hero-to-be-2/)

[Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/)

> [“The warrior who goes off to battle should not boast as the one who returns from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/the-warrior-who-goes-off-to-battle-should-not-boast-as-the-one-who/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [No one ever goes into battle thinking God is on the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/no-one-ever-goes-into-battle-thinking-god-is-on-the-other-side/)

[Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/)

> [It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/it-takes-a-hero-to-be-one-of-those-men-who-goes-into-battle/)

[Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/)

> [A critic is someone who never actually goes to the battle, yet who afterwards comes out shooting the wounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyne-daly/a-critic-is-someone-who-never-actually-goes-to-the-battle-yet-who/)

[Tyne Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyne-daly/)

> [A great warrior that goes 2 battle &amp; win it &amp; he or she can not win over the problem of his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-great-warrior-that-goes-2-battle-win-it-he-or-she-can-not-win-over/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Anyone that goes to battle goes to battle knowing the mindset and tactics of their enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-thor/anyone-that-goes-to-battle-goes-to-battle-knowing-the-mindset-and/)

[Brad Thor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-thor/)

## More by Bernard Law Montgomery

> [My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/my-own-definition-of-leadership-is-this-the-capacity-and-the-will-to/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [If we lose the war in the air we lose the war and we lose it quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/if-we-lose-the-war-in-the-air-we-lose-the-war-and-we-lose-it-quickly/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/rule-1-on-page-i-of-the-book-of-war-is-do-not-march-on-moscow-various/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [To us is given the honor of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history and in the better days that lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/to-us-is-given-the-honor-of-striking-a-blow-for-freedom-which-will/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [As God once said, and I think rightly...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/as-god-once-said-and-i-think-rightly/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [Let no man surrender so long as he is unwounded and can fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/let-no-man-surrender-so-long-as-he-is-unwounded-and-can-fight/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [The Sappers really need no tribute from me; their reward lies in the glory of their achievement. The more science intervenes in warfare, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/the-sappers-really-need-no-tribute-from-me-their-reward-lies-in-the/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [The harder the fighting and the longer the war, the more the infantry, and in fact all the arms, lean on the gunners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/the-harder-the-fighting-and-the-longer-the-war-the-more-the-infantry/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [On the eve of this great adventure I send my best wishes to every soldier in the Allied team. To us is given the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/on-the-eve-of-this-great-adventure-i-send-my-best-wishes-to-every/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [Why does soldiers leave the protection of his trench hole in the ground and go forward in the face of shot and shell? It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/why-does-soldiers-leave-the-protection-of-his-trench-hole-in-the/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [The commander must decide how he will fight the battle before it begins. He must then decide who he will use the military effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/the-commander-must-decide-how-he-will-fight-the-battle-before-it/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [There is such an equality among them that the officers have no authority. The privates are all generals, but not soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/there-is-such-an-equality-among-them-that-the-officers-have-no/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [Air power is indivisible. If you split it up into compartments, you merely pull it to pieces and destroy its greatest asset - its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/air-power-is-indivisible-if-you-split-it-up-into-compartments-you/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [Decisions! And a general, a commander in chief who has not got the quality of decision, then he is no good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/decisions-and-a-general-a-commander-in-chief-who-has-not-got-the/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

> [Im my profession you have to mystify the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/im-my-profession-you-have-to-mystify-the-enemy/)

[Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

[Explore all 21 Bernard Law Montgomery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/)

## More Battle quotes

> [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/)

[Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/)

> [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/)

[Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/)

> [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/)

[Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/)

> [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/)

[Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/)

> [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/)

[Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/)

> [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/)

[Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/)

> [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/)

[Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/)

> [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/)

[Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/)

> [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/)

[Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/)

> [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/)

[Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/)

> [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/)

[Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/)

> [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/)

[David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/)

> [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/)

[Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/)

> [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/)

[Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/)

[Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bernard Law Montgomery"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-into-battle-how-the-little/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Battle"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-into-battle-how-the-little/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/bernard-law-montgomery-27084_battle_every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-i_3068401.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the…” — Bernard Law Montgomery",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bernard Law Montgomery",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every soldier must know, before he...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-into-battle-how-the-little/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/every-soldier-must-know-before-he-goes-into-battle-how-the-little/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
