---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is something about military history…"
description: "\"There is something about military history that fascinates me. You find that many battles have been lost by people with very good military background wh..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png"
---

#  There is something about military history that fascinates…

![“There is something about military history that fascinates me. You find that many battles have been lost by people with very good military background when they fought battles in a battleground they didn't understand. I have seen that in business, too. You have to look at a marketplace like a…” quote by David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png)

> “There is something about military history that fascinates me. You find that many battles have been lost by people with very good military background when they fought battles in a battleground they didn't understand. I have seen that in business, too. You have to look at a marketplace like a battle-ground.”

[David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

## About This Quote

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

Understanding a market is like knowing terrain before battle; expertise alone isn’t enough.

**In simple terms:** Know the market as you would a battlefield.

Key Takeaway

Study the environment before acting.

Themes

strategy military analogy market analysis

Mood

analytical cautious

Type

cautionary strategic

When to use this quote

- startup launch
- product rollout
- expansion planning

Key Concepts

terrain awareness competitive intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- What market factors are you overlooking?
- How does terrain shape your strategy?

A Different Perspective

Even with expertise, misreading the environment leads to failure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battles/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Marketplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketplace/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Military history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-history/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [He has fought many battles with us" (Jace) By which you mean one battle" muttered Simon. "Two if you count the one I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-has-fought-many-battles-with-us-jace-by-which-you-mean-one-battle/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I have fought sixty battles, and I have learnt nothing which I did not know at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/i-have-fought-sixty-battles-and-i-have-learnt-nothing-which-i-did-not/)

[Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/)

> [I'm inclined to think that a military background wouldn't hurt anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-m-inclined-to-think-that-a-military-background-wouldn-t-hurt-anyone/)

[William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/)

> [I have a military background in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-reid/i-have-a-military-background-in-my-family/)

[Eric Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-reid/)

> [I'm somebody who has a military background, grew up in Colorado Springs, and has been a Colorado resident basically since I was two and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-glenn/i-m-somebody-who-has-a-military-background-grew-up-in-colorado/)

[Darryl Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-glenn/)

> [I was born in a family with a strong military background, so I chose to be a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-jianlin/i-was-born-in-a-family-with-a-strong-military-background-so-i-chose/)

[Wang Jianlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-jianlin/)

> [My own military background is wholly un-distinguished. I was a sergeant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-griffin/my-own-military-background-is-wholly-un-distinguished-i-was-a-sergeant/)

[W. E. B. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-griffin/)

> [“This torn typography of healed glyphs a stuttered ancient alphabet in skin spells warrior tales of battles lost and gained and homecomings hard won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munro-sickafoose/this-torn-typography-of-healed-glyphs-a-stuttered-ancient-alphabet-in/)

Munro Sickafoose

> [In the long run all battles are lost, and so are all wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/in-the-long-run-all-battles-are-lost-and-so-are-all-wars/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [Battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/battles-are-lost-in-the-same-spirit-in-which-they-are-won/)

[Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/)

> [Writing, I explained, was mainly an attempt to out-argue one's past; to present events in such a light that battles lost in life were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-feiffer/writing-i-explained-was-mainly-an-attempt-to-out-argue-one-s-past-to/)

[Jules Feiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-feiffer/)

> [Scars- reminders of battles we have lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scars-reminders-of-battles-we-have-lost/)

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

> [Battles are lost or won in 15 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/battles-are-lost-or-won-in-15-minutes/)

[Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/)

> [“Most wars start because someone makes a mistake, and most battles are lost by the losing side rather than won by the victors. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-parker/most-wars-start-because-someone-makes-a-mistake-and-most-battles-are/)

[K.J. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-parker/)

> [“Y'all taught me that unacknowledged scars accumulated in battles won often hurt more than battles lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/y-all-taught-me-that-unacknowledged-scars-accumulated-in-battles-won/)

[Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/)

## More by David Cheriton

> [I am a believer in Adam Smith, who says that if you look at something that really contributes value to society, and you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/i-am-a-believer-in-adam-smith-who-says-that-if-you-look-at-something/)

[David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

> [There are two kinds of researchers : those that have implemented something and those that have not. The latter will tell you that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/there-are-two-kinds-of-researchers-those-that-have-implemented/)

[David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

> [I tend to look at potential investments from the standpoint of whether it is a valuable contribution to society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/i-tend-to-look-at-potential-investments-from-the-standpoint-of/)

[David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

> [I must admit that I don't really understand social networking models that well, and I haven't tried to because I have just not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/i-must-admit-that-i-don-t-really-understand-social-networking-models/)

[David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

> [These people who build houses with 13 bathrooms and so on, there's something wrong with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/these-people-who-build-houses-with-13-bathrooms-and-so-on-there-s/)

[David Cheriton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

[Explore all 6 David Cheriton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There is something about military history that fascinates me. You find that many battles have been lost by people with very good military background when they fought battles in a battleground they didn't understand. I have seen that in business, too. You have to look at a marketplace like a battle-ground.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Cheriton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/there-is-something-about-military-history-that-fascinates-me-you-find/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/there-is-something-about-military-history-that-fascinates-me-you-find/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/david-cheriton-57572_about_there-is-something-about-military-histor_2590842.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There is something about military history that fascinates me. You find that many battles have been lost by…” — David Cheriton",
                "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": "David Cheriton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cheriton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There is something about military history...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/there-is-something-about-military-history-that-fascinates-me-you-find/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cheriton/there-is-something-about-military-history-that-fascinates-me-you-find/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
