--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the future as in the past, both…" description: "\"In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.\" — Martin Van Creveld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg" --- # In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu… ![“In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.” quote by Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg) > “In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.” [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu offer timeless strategic insights valuable for modern and historical contexts. **In simple terms:** Ancient strategists still teach today. Key Takeaway Study their works for strategic wisdom. Themes strategy history military theory Mood analytical educational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - business planning - conflict resolution - education curricula Key Concepts political science leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can you adapt ancient tactics today? - Which concepts are outdated? A Different Perspective Their ideas may not fit every modern scenario. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clausewitz/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Digital warfare, in the Clausewitz definition as 'the continuation of policy by other means,' reached Western public consciousness via my own country, Estonia, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/digital-warfare-in-the-clausewitz-definition-as-the-continuation-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [“We propose to consider first the single elements of our subject, then each branch of part, and, last of all, the whole in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/we-propose-to-consider-first-the-single-elements-of-our-subject-then/) [Carl Von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [One might almost say, to adapt von Clausewitz, that modern warfare is PR by other means. And war-winning strategies mean that modern armies most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-might-almost-say-to-adapt-von-clausewitz-that-modern-warfare-is/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [“It was over a century and a half ago that Clausewitz made his now famous remarks on the relationship of war to policy. Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-posen/it-was-over-a-century-and-a-half-ago-that-clausewitz-made-his-now/) Barry Posen > [“Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.” Carl von Clausewitz”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-j-roberts/many-intelligence-reports-in-war-are-contradictory-even-more-are-2/) Scott J Roberts > [“The literature of war and its strategies is poverty-stricken. Of all the men who have written on the subject of war, I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-wylie/the-literature-of-war-and-its-strategies-is-poverty-stricken-of-all/) [J.C. Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-wylie/) > [“Clausewitz’s posthumously published work On War, shaped by the age of Napoleonic warfare, is best known for the concept of the friction and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/clausewitz-s-posthumously-published-work-on-war-shaped-by-the-age-of/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [“A successful special operation defies conventional wisdom by using a small force to defeat a much larger or well-entrenched opponent. This book develops a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/a-successful-special-operation-defies-conventional-wisdom-by-using-a/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [While von Clausewitz said, 'War is the continuation of policy (politics) by other means,' when considering the welfare of our men and women in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-heck/while-von-clausewitz-said-war-is-the-continuation-of-policy-politics/) [Joe Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-heck/) > [“Modifying Clausewitz’ aphorism—war is the continuation of diplomacy by other means—one could say that in ideologically divided countries civil war is but the continuation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/modifying-clausewitz-aphorism-war-is-the-continuation-of-diplomacy-by/) [Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/) > [The Army was always big on Clausewitz, the Prussian; the Navy on Alfred Thayer Mahan, the American; and the Air Force on Giulio Douhet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/the-army-was-always-big-on-clausewitz-the-prussian-the-navy-on-alfred/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [“Daily, the media report human activity in which force is used to settle disputes. Since 1945 not a single day has gone by without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-r-wittkopf/daily-the-media-report-human-activity-in-which-force-is-used-to/) Eugene R. Wittkopf > [“The classical soldier’s beliefs and behavior patterns are all summarized in the central theme of Clausewitz, who tells us that his study of war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-wylie/the-classical-soldier-s-beliefs-and-behavior-patterns-are-all/) [J.C. Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-wylie/) > [“The war of 1914–18 was the absolute negation of everything that Clausewitz had stood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-munro-clark/the-war-of-1914-18-was-the-absolute-negation-of-everything-that/) [Christopher Munro Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-munro-clark/) > [“In the pantheon of military thinkers and grand strategists, two giants stand out: the Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz and the Chinese master Sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/in-the-pantheon-of-military-thinkers-and-grand-strategists-two-giants/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) ## More by Martin Van Creveld > [In Tunisia, the so-called Yasmin revolution has led to the installation of a relatively moderate Islamic government. Whether or not that means democracy will,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-tunisia-the-so-called-yasmin-revolution-has-led-to-the/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [We possess several hundred atomic warheads and rockets and can launch them at targets in all directions, perhaps even at Rome. Most European capitals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/we-possess-several-hundred-atomic-warheads-and-rockets-and-can-launch/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [The enemy resembles us. Therefore, he needs to be approached not as an assembly of 'targets' to be destroyed one by one; but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/the-enemy-resembles-us-therefore-he-needs-to-be-approached-not-as-an/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [“Though Moltke was working with subordinates who were totally lacking in comprehension for whatever strategic plans he may have entertained and who on occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/though-moltke-was-working-with-subordinates-who-were-totally-lacking/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [The fate of Syria hangs in the balance, but it is entirely possible that the fall of the Assad regime will result in anarchy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/the-fate-of-syria-hangs-in-the-balance-but-it-is-entirely-possible/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [I want to put any number of assorted 'ists' - such as relativists, deconstructionists, destructivists, postmodernists, the more maudlin kind of pacifists and feminists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/i-want-to-put-any-number-of-assorted-ists-such-as-relativists/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [Except when war is waged in a desert, noncombatants, also known as civilians or "the people," constitute the great majority of those affected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/except-when-war-is-waged-in-a-desert-noncombatants-also-known-as/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [The combination of professionalism and technology may also result in narrow-minded specialization more suited to a debating society than to an organization whose task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/the-combination-of-professionalism-and-technology-may-also-result-in/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [If you are strong, and you are fighting the weak for any period of time, you are going to become weak yourself. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/if-you-are-strong-and-you-are-fighting-the-weak-for-any-period-of/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [Since 2006, when the Second Lebanon War killed perhaps 2,000 Lebanese, many of them civilians, and led to the destruction of an entire section…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/since-2006-when-the-second-lebanon-war-killed-perhaps-2-000-lebanese/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [Obviously, we don't want Iran to have nuclear weapons and I don't know if they're developing them, but if they're not developing them, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/obviously-we-don-t-want-iran-to-have-nuclear-weapons-and-i-don-t-know/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [The defense of the West Bank by Arab forces would be a truly suicidal enterprise. The late King Hussein understood these facts well. Until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/the-defense-of-the-west-bank-by-arab-forces-would-be-a-truly-suicidal/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [If you are strong and fighting the weak, then if you kill your opponent, then you are a scoundrel... if you let him kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/if-you-are-strong-and-fighting-the-weak-then-if-you-kill-your/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [Never' is too much of a word. Nothing lasts forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/never-is-too-much-of-a-word-nothing-lasts-forever/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) > [Our armed forces are not the thirtieth strongest in the world, but rather the second or third. We have the capability to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/our-armed-forces-are-not-the-thirtieth-strongest-in-the-world-but/) [Martin Van Creveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) [Explore all 25 Martin Van Creveld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/) ## More Clausewitz quotes > [Digital warfare, in the Clausewitz definition as 'the continuation of policy by other means,' reached Western public consciousness via my own country, Estonia, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/digital-warfare-in-the-clausewitz-definition-as-the-continuation-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [“The war of 1914–18 was the absolute negation of everything that Clausewitz had stood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-munro-clark/the-war-of-1914-18-was-the-absolute-negation-of-everything-that/) [Christopher Munro Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-munro-clark/) > [“The classical soldier’s beliefs and behavior patterns are all summarized in the central theme of Clausewitz, who tells us that his study of war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-wylie/the-classical-soldier-s-beliefs-and-behavior-patterns-are-all/) [J.C. Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-wylie/) > [“Daily, the media report human activity in which force is used to settle disputes. Since 1945 not a single day has gone by without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-r-wittkopf/daily-the-media-report-human-activity-in-which-force-is-used-to/) Eugene R. Wittkopf > [The Army was always big on Clausewitz, the Prussian; the Navy on Alfred Thayer Mahan, the American; and the Air Force on Giulio Douhet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/the-army-was-always-big-on-clausewitz-the-prussian-the-navy-on-alfred/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [“Modifying Clausewitz’ aphorism—war is the continuation of diplomacy by other means—one could say that in ideologically divided countries civil war is but the continuation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/modifying-clausewitz-aphorism-war-is-the-continuation-of-diplomacy-by/) [Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-von-kuehnelt-leddihn/) > [While von Clausewitz said, 'War is the continuation of policy (politics) by other means,' when considering the welfare of our men and women in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-heck/while-von-clausewitz-said-war-is-the-continuation-of-policy-politics/) [Joe Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-heck/) > [“A successful special operation defies conventional wisdom by using a small force to defeat a much larger or well-entrenched opponent. This book develops a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/a-successful-special-operation-defies-conventional-wisdom-by-using-a/) [William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/) > [“Clausewitz’s posthumously published work On War, shaped by the age of Napoleonic warfare, is best known for the concept of the friction and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/clausewitz-s-posthumously-published-work-on-war-shaped-by-the-age-of/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [“The literature of war and its strategies is poverty-stricken. Of all the men who have written on the subject of war, I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-wylie/the-literature-of-war-and-its-strategies-is-poverty-stricken-of-all/) [J.C. Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-wylie/) > [“Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.” Carl von Clausewitz”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-j-roberts/many-intelligence-reports-in-war-are-contradictory-even-more-are-2/) Scott J Roberts > [“It was over a century and a half ago that Clausewitz made his now famous remarks on the relationship of war to policy. Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-posen/it-was-over-a-century-and-a-half-ago-that-clausewitz-made-his-now/) Barry Posen > [One might almost say, to adapt von Clausewitz, that modern warfare is PR by other means. And war-winning strategies mean that modern armies most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-might-almost-say-to-adapt-von-clausewitz-that-modern-warfare-is/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [“We propose to consider first the single elements of our subject, then each branch of part, and, last of all, the whole in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/we-propose-to-consider-first-the-single-elements-of-our-subject-then/) [Carl Von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [“In the pantheon of military thinkers and grand strategists, two giants stand out: the Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz and the Chinese master Sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/in-the-pantheon-of-military-thinkers-and-grand-strategists-two-giants/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) [Browse all 16 Clausewitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clausewitz/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Van Creveld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clausewitz-and-sun-tzu-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clausewitz" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clausewitz-and-sun-tzu-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7b/martin-van-creveld-23146_clausewitz_in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clause_2973444.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.” — Martin Van Creveld", "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": "Martin Van Creveld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-creveld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the future as in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clausewitz-and-sun-tzu-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-creveld/in-the-future-as-in-the-past-both-clausewitz-and-sun-tzu-will/#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 } } ] } ```