Changed Quote by Mao Zedong
![“A strategic plan based on the over-all situation of both belligerents is ... more stable, but it too is applicable only in a given strategic stage and has to be changed when the war moves towards a new stage. ... [Conversely, tactical plans may] ... have to be changed several times a day.” quote by Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/853/mao-zedong-1123_changed_a-strategic-plan-based-on-the-over-all-s_2271818.jpg)
“A strategic plan based on the over-all situation of both belligerents is ... more stable, but it too is applicable only in a given strategic stage and has to be changed when the war moves towards a new stage. ... [Conversely, tactical plans may] ... have to be changed several times a day.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: On Protracted War, 1938
Strategic plans must adapt to overall war stages, while tactics may need daily revisions as conditions change.
In simple terms: Strategy fits the stage; tactics shift constantly.
Key Takeaway
Maintain flexibility in both strategy and tactics.
Themes
military strategy
adaptability
war planning
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
military
educational
When to use this quote
- campaign design
- battlefield decisions
- military training
Key Concepts
strategic stability
tactical fluidity
stage‑based planning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can commanders balance stability with necessary flexibility?
- What tools help monitor when strategic shifts are needed?
A Different Perspective
Frequent changes can cause confusion and reduce cohesion.
![“In the struggle to defend the legacy of Leninism . . . [Stalin] proved himself to be an outstanding Marxist-Leninist fighter. . . . Stalin's works should, as before, be seriously studied . . . [to] see what is correct and what is not.” quote by Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2af/mao-zedong-1123_fighter_in-the-struggle-to-defend-the-legacy-of_67510.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
