--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The military mind always imagines that…" description: "\"The military mind always imagines that the next war will be on the same lines as the last. That has never been the case and never will be. One of the g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/ferdinand-foch-17344_air-power_the-military-mind-always-imagines-that-t_1743984.jpg" --- # The military mind always imagines that the next war will… ![“The military mind always imagines that the next war will be on the same lines as the last. That has never been the case and never will be. One of the great factors on the next war will be aircraft obviously. The potentialities of aircraft attack on a large scale are almost incalculable.” quote by Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/ferdinand-foch-17344_air-power_the-military-mind-always-imagines-that-t_1743984.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/ferdinand-foch-17344_air-power_the-military-mind-always-imagines-that-t_1743984.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62a/ferdinand-foch-17344_air-power_the-military-mind-always-imagines-that-t_1743984.jpg) > “The military mind always imagines that the next war will be on the same lines as the last. That has never been the case and never will be. One of the great factors on the next war will be aircraft obviously. The potentialities of aircraft attack on a large scale are almost incalculable.” [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War evolves; past tactics rarely predict future conflicts, especially with emerging air power. **In simple terms:** War changes, especially new matters. Key Takeaway Plan for unexpected technologies. Themes military strategy technology future conflict Mood cautious forward‑looking Type strategic analytical When to use this quote - defense planning - policy making - military training - risk assessment Key Concepts airpower strategic surprise innovation Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders balance historical lessons with emerging tech? - What safeguards prevent complacency in strategy? A Different Perspective Overreliance on past models can blind leaders to novel threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-power/) [Aircraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aircraft/) [Aircraft Attack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aircraft-attack-1544543/) [Aircraft Obviously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aircraft-obviously-1544547/) [Airpower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airpower/) [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aviation/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Factors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factors/) [Factors War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factors-war-1544546/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-that/) [Imagines War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagines-war-1544545/) [Large scale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-scale/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Potentialities Aircraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potentialities-aircraft-1544544/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scales/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Aviation is fine as a sport. But as an instrument of war, it is worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/aviation-is-fine-as-a-sport-but-as-an-instrument-of-war-it-is/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [It is not possible . . . to concentrate enough military planes with military loads over a modern city to destroy that city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thomason/it-is-not-possible-to-concentrate-enough-military-planes-with/) [John Thomason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thomason/) > [The weapon where the man is sitting in is always superior against the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-hartmann/the-weapon-where-the-man-is-sitting-in-is-always-superior-against-the/) [Erich Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-hartmann/) > [In order to assure an adequate national defense, it is necessary - and sufficient - to be in a position in case of war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-douhet/in-order-to-assure-an-adequate-national-defense-it-is-necessary-and/) [Giulio Douhet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-douhet/) > [I will ignore all ideas for new works and engines of war, the invention of which has reached its limits and for whose improvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frontinus/i-will-ignore-all-ideas-for-new-works-and-engines-of-war-the/) [Frontinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frontinus/) > [I am purely evil; Hear the thrum of my evil engine; Evilly I come. The stars are thick as flowers In the meadows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-mannin/i-am-purely-evil-hear-the-thrum-of-my-evil-engine-evilly-i-come-the/) [Ethel Mannin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-mannin/) > [If we had these rockets in 1939, we should never have had this war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/if-we-had-these-rockets-in-1939-we-should-never-have-had-this-war/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. Therefore our supreme effort must be to gain overwhelming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-navy-can-lose-us-the-war-but-only-the-air-force-can-win-it/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Why don't we just buy one airplane and let the pilots take turns flying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/why-don-t-we-just-buy-one-airplane-and-let-the-pilots-take-turns/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [Air power alone does not guarantee America's security, but I believe it best exploits the nation's greatest asset - our technical skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoyt-vandenberg/air-power-alone-does-not-guarantee-america-s-security-but-i-believe/) [Hoyt Vandenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoyt-vandenberg/) > ["He who wants to protect everything, protects nothing," is one of the fundamental rules of defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/he-who-wants-to-protect-everything-protects-nothing-is-one-of-the/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) [Philip Alston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-alston/) > [A thing of orchestrated hell-a terrible symphony of light and flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/a-thing-of-orchestrated-hell-a-terrible-symphony-of-light-and-flame/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [Aviation is going to control the world economically and militarily whether we like it or not. Airpower is not merely military aviation, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roscoe-turner/aviation-is-going-to-control-the-world-economically-and-militarily/) [Roscoe Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roscoe-turner/) ## More by Ferdinand Foch > [The laurels of victory are at the point of the enemy bayonets. They must be plucked there; they must be carried by a hand-to-hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/the-laurels-of-victory-are-at-the-point-of-the-enemy-bayonets-they/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [A battle won is a battle which we will not acknowledge to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/a-battle-won-is-a-battle-which-we-will-not-acknowledge-to-be-lost/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/my-center-is-giving-way-my-right-is-in-retreat-situation-excellent-i/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [In tactics, action is the governing rule of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/in-tactics-action-is-the-governing-rule-of-war/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [Aviation is fine as a sport. But as an instrument of war, it is worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/aviation-is-fine-as-a-sport-but-as-an-instrument-of-war-it-is/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [Far from being a sum of distinct and partial results, victory is the consequence of efforts, some of which are victorious while others appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/far-from-being-a-sum-of-distinct-and-partial-results-victory-is-the/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [In war there are none but particular cases; everything has there an individual nature; nothing ever repeats itself. In the first place, the data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/in-war-there-are-none-but-particular-cases-everything-has-there-an/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/the-most-powerful-weapon-on-earth-is-the-human-soul-on-fire/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [One is defeated only when one accepts defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/one-is-defeated-only-when-one-accepts-defeat/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [I am conscious of having served England as I served my own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/i-am-conscious-of-having-served-england-as-i-served-my-own-country/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [The unknown is the governing principle of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/the-unknown-is-the-governing-principle-of-war/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [The power to command has never meant the power to remain mysterious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/the-power-to-command-has-never-meant-the-power-to-remain-mysterious/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [It takes 15,000 casualties to train a major general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/it-takes-15-000-casualties-to-train-a-major-general/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [A war not only arises, but derives its nature , from the political ideas, the moral sentiments, and the international relations obtaining at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/a-war-not-only-arises-but-derives-its-nature-from-the-political-ideas/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) > [To be disciplined does not mean being silent, abstaining, or doing only what one thinks one may undertake without risk; it is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-foch/to-be-disciplined-does-not-mean-being-silent-abstaining-or-doing-only/) [Ferdinand Foch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) [Explore all 36 Ferdinand Foch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-foch/) ## More Air power quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [A thing of orchestrated hell-a terrible symphony of light and flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/a-thing-of-orchestrated-hell-a-terrible-symphony-of-light-and-flame/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) [Philip Alston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-alston/) > [Air power is new to all our countries. It brings advantages to some and weakens others; it calls for readjustment everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/air-power-is-new-to-all-our-countries-it-brings-advantages-to-some/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [“Smith proposed not to use air power, but to employ an ad hoc group to open Mount Igman road into Sarajevo. This was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-willem-honig/smith-proposed-not-to-use-air-power-but-to-employ-an-ad-hoc-group-to/) [Jan Willem Honig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-willem-honig/) > [Air power and military are meant to fight the enemy and not your own citizens... How do you differentiate a Maoist?... It will create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-chandra-deo/air-power-and-military-are-meant-to-fight-the-enemy-and-not-your-own/) [Kishore Chandra Deo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-chandra-deo/) > [Air power will not defeat ISIS. It has not been able to deny ISIS freedom of maneuver and the ability to attack at will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-keane/air-power-will-not-defeat-isis-it-has-not-been-able-to-deny-isis/) [Jack Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-keane/) > ["He who wants to protect everything, protects nothing," is one of the fundamental rules of defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-galland/he-who-wants-to-protect-everything-protects-nothing-is-one-of-the/) [Adolf Galland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-galland/) > [Air power alone does not guarantee America's security, but I believe it best exploits the nation's greatest asset - our technical skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoyt-vandenberg/air-power-alone-does-not-guarantee-america-s-security-but-i-believe/) [Hoyt Vandenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoyt-vandenberg/) > [Why don't we just buy one airplane and let the pilots take turns flying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/why-don-t-we-just-buy-one-airplane-and-let-the-pilots-take-turns/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. Therefore our supreme effort must be to gain overwhelming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-navy-can-lose-us-the-war-but-only-the-air-force-can-win-it/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [If we had these rockets in 1939, we should never have had this war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/if-we-had-these-rockets-in-1939-we-should-never-have-had-this-war/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I am purely evil; Hear the thrum of my evil engine; Evilly I come. The stars are thick as flowers In the meadows of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-mannin/i-am-purely-evil-hear-the-thrum-of-my-evil-engine-evilly-i-come-the/) [Ethel Mannin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-mannin/) > [If we maintain our faith in God, love of freedom, and superior global air power, the future looks good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-lemay/if-we-maintain-our-faith-in-god-love-of-freedom-and-superior-global/) [Curtis LeMay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-lemay/) > [This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out Isil wherever they exist, using our air power and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/this-counter-terrorism-campaign-will-be-waged-through-a-steady/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 114 Air power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-power/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The military mind always imagines that the next war will be on the same lines as the last. 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