--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any…" description: "\"Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.\" — Napoleon Bonaparte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg" --- # Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle. ![“Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg) > “Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.” [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intelligence and information dominate the outcome of conflicts more than brute force. **In simple terms:** Knowing the enemy is crucial. Key Takeaway Prioritize gathering accurate intel. Themes strategy information warfare Mood determined analytical Type tactical historical When to use this quote - military planning - business competition - political campaigns - crisis management Key Concepts military intelligence decision making Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure intelligence is acted upon? - What sources can you trust in high‑stakes situations? A Different Perspective Intelligence alone cannot guarantee victory without execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [If you have really good intelligence, that truly does put the - I mean putting troops on the ground in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-raddatz/if-you-have-really-good-intelligence-that-truly-does-put-the-i-mean/) [Martha Raddatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-raddatz/) > [“What good is intelligence,' Akutagawa asked, 'if you can't ever discover a useful melancholy?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-norman/what-good-is-intelligence-akutagawa-asked-if-you-can-t-ever-discover/) [Howard Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-norman/) > [What good is science if not expand one's soul so that she behaves like an ocean that holds the trash. What good is intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emha-ainun-nadjib/what-good-is-science-if-not-expand-one-s-soul-so-that-she-behaves/) Emha Ainun Nadjib > [There was once a man, Harry, called the steppenwolf. He went on two legs, wore clothes and was a human being, but nevertheless he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/there-was-once-a-man-harry-called-the-steppenwolf-he-went-on-two-legs-2/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Good intelligence analysis, after all, is all about discrimination between what's important and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/good-intelligence-analysis-after-all-is-all-about-discrimination/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the-abuse-of-prisoners-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I've come to suspect that whenever any ability is difficult to learn and rarely performed well, it's probably because contraries are called for -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-elbow/i-ve-come-to-suspect-that-whenever-any-ability-is-difficult-to-learn/) [Peter Elbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-elbow/) > [Information-sharing is elementary to good intelligence work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/information-sharing-is-elementary-to-good-intelligence-work/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Our intentions may be very good, but, because the intelligence is limited, the action may turn out to be a mistake - a mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/our-intentions-may-be-very-good-but-because-the-intelligence-is/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [It is expedient to have acquaintance with those who have looked into the world, who know men, understand business, and can give you good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horne/it-is-expedient-to-have-acquaintance-with-those-who-have-looked-into/) [George Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horne/) > [I think the intelligence I get is darn good intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-think-the-intelligence-i-get-is-darn-good-intelligence/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The necessity of procuring good Intelligence is apparent & need not be further urged-All that remains for me to add, is, that you keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-necessity-of-procuring-good-intelligence-is-apparent-need-not-be/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [These are Canadian and United States intelligence and law enforcement offices who are working in teams and who are using good intelligence and good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cellucci/these-are-canadian-and-united-states-intelligence-and-law-enforcement/) [Paul Cellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cellucci/) > [“One's writing is good only when the intelligence and the imagination are in equilibrium. As soon as one of them overbalances the other, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-s-writing-is-good-only-when-the-intelligence-and-the-imagination/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Soldiers! Here is the battle you have so long desired! Henceforth victory depends on you; we have need of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/soldiers-here-is-the-battle-you-have-so-long-desired-henceforth/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More by Napoleon Bonaparte > [He is almost a statesman. 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We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. 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Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. 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But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Bonaparte" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any-battle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Battle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any-battle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92a/napoleon-bonaparte-206_battle_good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any_323592.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.” — Napoleon Bonaparte", "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": "Napoleon Bonaparte", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any-battle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any-battle/#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 } } ] } ```