--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we do not learn to regard a war, and…" description: "\"If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of linked engagements each leading to the next, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg" --- # If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate… ![“If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of linked engagements each leading to the next, but instead succumb to the idea that the capture of certain geographical points or the seizure of undefended provinces are of value in themselves, we…” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg) > “If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of linked engagements each leading to the next, but instead succumb to the idea that the capture of certain geographical points or the seizure of undefended provinces are of value in themselves, we are liable to regard them as windfall profits.” [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treat war as a series of linked engagements rather than isolated territorial gains, to avoid seeing conquests as mere windfall. **In simple terms:** See war as connected battles, not just land grabs. Key Takeaway Focus on strategic continuity. Themes war strategy continuity politics military theory Mood analytical critical strategic Type philosophical educational historical When to use this quote - military planning - policy making - historical analysis - conflict studies Key Concepts linked engagements strategic objectives resource allocation political goals Questions to Reflect On - What broader objectives does each engagement serve? - How can you avoid treating gains as ends in themselves? A Different Perspective Neglecting the broader context can lead to short‑sighted decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Campaigns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [For those of us who worry more about working people than about windfall profits for oil companies, it may net out. A better question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/for-those-of-us-who-worry-more-about-working-people-than-about/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/for-myself-i-was-bitterly-opposed-to-the-measure-and-to-this-day/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“In the emergency of growing up, we all need heroes. But the father I grew up with was no hero to me, not then.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bissell/in-the-emergency-of-growing-up-we-all-need-heroes-but-the-father-i/) [Tom Bissell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bissell/) > [But what a cruel thing is war to separate and destroy families and friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/but-what-a-cruel-thing-is-war-to-separate-and-destroy-families-and/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/what-a-cruel-thing-is-war-to-separate-and-destroy-families-and/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [The Bible does not isolate war, as if it were something separate and unique and quite apart, as we tend to do in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-lloyd-jones/the-bible-does-not-isolate-war-as-if-it-were-something-separate-and/) [Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [...The Bill of Rights is a literal and absolute document. The First Amendment doesn't say you have a right to speak out unless the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-bill-of-rights-is-a-literal-and-absolute-document-the-first/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [I feel the best way to ensure Americans' freedom is to tighten restrictions on that freedom in any way possible. Only through wiretaps, illegal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/i-feel-the-best-way-to-ensure-americans-freedom-is-to-tighten/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [Nothing whatever but the constitutional law, the political structure, of these United States protects any American from arbitrary seizure of his property and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-wilder-lane/nothing-whatever-but-the-constitutional-law-the-political-structure/) [Rose Wilder Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-wilder-lane/) > [Drugs. If they did not exist our governors would have invented them in order to prohibit them and so make much of the population…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/drugs-if-they-did-not-exist-our-governors-would-have-invented-them-in/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [A close friend of mine's daughter was diagnosed with Epilepsy and battled seizures her first 2 years so this cause hits close to home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demarcus-cousins/a-close-friend-of-mine-s-daughter-was-diagnosed-with-epilepsy-and/) [DeMarcus Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demarcus-cousins/) > [He was calling it an atonic seizure because, even if he didn't know why it had happened, it was important to give it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/he-was-calling-it-an-atonic-seizure-because-even-if-he-didn-t-know/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [When the brain activity is kindled in the right spot, people hear voices. If a physician prescribes an anti-epileptic medication, the seizures go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/when-the-brain-activity-is-kindled-in-the-right-spot-people-hear/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [My childhood was marked by seizures, which my family interpreted as temper tantrums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-fraser/my-childhood-was-marked-by-seizures-which-my-family-interpreted-as/) [Sylvia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-fraser/) > [“If an epileptic seizure is focused in a particular sweet spot in the temporal lobe, a person won´t have motor seizures, but instead something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/if-an-epileptic-seizure-is-focused-in-a-particular-sweet-spot-in-the/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) ## More by Carl von Clausewitz > [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/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Politics is the womb in which war develops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/politics-is-the-womb-in-which-war-develops/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [ Rather than comparing \[war\] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-could-more-accurately-compare-it/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/savage-peoples-are-ruled-by-passion-civilized-peoples-by-the-mind/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/after-we-have-thought-out-everything-carefully-in-advance-and-have/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Intelligence alone is not courage, we often see that the most intelligent people are irresolute. Since in the rush of events a man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/intelligence-alone-is-not-courage-we-often-see-that-the-most/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [The great uncertainty of all data in war is because all action, to a certain extent, planned in a mere twilight - like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-great-uncertainty-of-all-data-in-war-is-because-all-action-to-a/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Self-reliance is the best defence against the pressures of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/self-reliance-is-the-best-defence-against-the-pressures-of-the-moment/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-the-realm-of-uncertainty-three-quarters-of-the-factors-on/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/we-repeat-again-strength-of-character-does-not-consist-solely-in/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [There is only one decisive victory: the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/there-is-only-one-decisive-victory-the-last/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [A conqueror is always a lover of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/a-conqueror-is-always-a-lover-of-peace/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-nothing-but-a-continuation-of-politics-with-the-admixture-of/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [War is not merely a political act but a real political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, a carrying out of the same by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/war-is-not-merely-a-political-act-but-a-real-political-instrument-a/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) [Explore all 181 Carl von Clausewitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) ## More Campaigns quotes > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [If you put everything, your heart and soul into a campaign, it might take you a while to come around to the realization that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-put-everything-your-heart-and-soul-into-a-campaign-it-might/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [My wife and daughters work. My campaign manager in 2005 was a working mother. I appointed 5 women to my senior staff as Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mcdonnell/my-wife-and-daughters-work-my-campaign-manager-in-2005-was-a-working/) [Bob McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mcdonnell/) > [I would like to have campaign spending limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-would-like-to-have-campaign-spending-limits/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [We need to be more precise in how we talk about these issues. People around the word follow our presidential campaigns so closely, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-be-more-precise-in-how-we-talk-about-these-issues-people/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I did it once, and National Geographic recruited me. I did it primarily out of curiosity. A lot of legendary photographers had worked on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-did-it-once-and-national-geographic-recruited-me-i-did-it-primarily/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Social media has become a primary factor in political campaigns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/social-media-has-become-a-primary-factor-in-political-campaigns/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [We in the Hispanic community are truly tired of both the Democrats and the Republicans promising all of these things during the campaigns and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-ramos/we-in-the-hispanic-community-are-truly-tired-of-both-the-democrats/) [Jorge Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-ramos/) > [I measure the amount of shows I should do by my hair. If my hair isn't good for campaigns and editorials, then obviously I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-wixson/i-measure-the-amount-of-shows-i-should-do-by-my-hair-if-my-hair-isn-t/) [Lindsey Wixson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-wixson/) > [I think that, you know, this is a different year than most years. We've got to tell the American people that we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-buck/i-think-that-you-know-this-is-a-different-year-than-most-years-we-ve/) [Ken Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-buck/) > [When you have the Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee and the political director of the Romney campaign, and their two companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-caddell/when-you-have-the-chief-of-staff-of-the-republican-national-committee/) [Patrick Caddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-caddell/) > [What 'eminent domain' laws mean in practice is that politicians have a right to seize your property and turn it over to someone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/what-eminent-domain-laws-mean-in-practice-is-that-politicians-have-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [After Donald Trump wrote Lindsey Graham's cellphone number on a piece of paper and showed it to everybody, Graham said he's getting a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/after-donald-trump-wrote-lindsey-graham-s-cellphone-number-on-a-piece/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) [Browse all 1,797 Campaigns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigns/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of linked engagements each leading to the next, but instead succumb to the idea that the capture of certain geographical points or the seizure of undefended provinces are of value in themselves, we are liable to regard them as windfall profits.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl von Clausewitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-the-separate-campaigns-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Campaigns" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-the-separate-campaigns-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1d/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_campaigns_if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-t_449445.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of linked…” — Carl von Clausewitz", "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": "Carl von Clausewitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we do not learn to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-the-separate-campaigns-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/if-we-do-not-learn-to-regard-a-war-and-the-separate-campaigns-of/#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 } } ] } ```