--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We made a great mistake in the beginning…" description: "\"We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/robert-e-lee-2368_america_we-made-a-great-mistake-in-the-beginning_1771341.jpg" --- # We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle… ![“We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers” quote by Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/robert-e-lee-2368_america_we-made-a-great-mistake-in-the-beginning_1771341.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/robert-e-lee-2368_america_we-made-a-great-mistake-in-the-beginning_1771341.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/robert-e-lee-2368_america_we-made-a-great-mistake-in-the-beginning_1771341.jpg) > “We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers” [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early strategic errors can doom a cause, especially when talent is misallocated between combat and propaganda. **In simple terms:** Bad choices at the start can ruin a fight. Key Takeaway Avoid placing the wrong people in critical roles. Themes leadership strategy communication war mistakes Mood cautious reflective Type historical strategic When to use this quote - military planning - political messaging - organizational design Key Concepts military hierarchy media influence decision making Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders ensure talent is matched to role? - What safeguards prevent misallocation of key personnel? A Different Perspective Even with effort, poor early decisions can be fatal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fatal mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatal-mistakes/) [Great mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-mistakes/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Spite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spite/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The fatal mistake is waiting for life's circumstances to be right before we begin. Simply begin with your heart, look deeply into it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/the-fatal-mistake-is-waiting-for-life-s-circumstances-to-be-right/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [We always make the mistake, the fatal mistake in the case of military people, of imagining that each war will be a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/we-always-make-the-mistake-the-fatal-mistake-in-the-case-of-military/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Those who have heard or read anything from me on the subject, know that one of the principal points insisted on is, the forming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-warren/those-who-have-heard-or-read-anything-from-me-on-the-subject-know/) [Josiah Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-warren/) > [What is concisely referred to as global warming, is a fatal mistake of the present time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/what-is-concisely-referred-to-as-global-warming-is-a-fatal-mistake-of/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [This would be a tricky operation, no doubt of that, and a mistake would probably be fatal. 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Action motivates.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-eschenroeder/our-fatal-mistake-is-waiting-to-be-motivated-before-we-take-action/) [Kyle Eschenroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-eschenroeder/) > [I ran... I didn't trust the government. I was really afraid. I believe now that that was the fatal mistake of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rosenberg/i-ran-i-didn-t-trust-the-government-i-was-really-afraid-i-believe-now/) [Susan Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rosenberg/) > [I made the fatal mistake of trying to cut my own hair. It makes me look like I have a good face for radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-made-the-fatal-mistake-of-trying-to-cut-my-own-hair-it-makes-me/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [“Everyone's entitled to one fatal mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-smart/everyone-s-entitled-to-one-fatal-mistake/) Maxwell Smart > [I got by on talent. That was my fatal mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-maravich/i-got-by-on-talent-that-was-my-fatal-mistake/) [Pete Maravich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-maravich/) > [Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/mistakes-are-a-part-of-being-human-appreciate-your-mistakes-for-what/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## More by Robert E. Lee > [Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/live-in-the-world-you-inhabit-look-upon-things-as-they-are-take-them/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/you-must-study-to-be-frank-with-the-world-frankness-is-the-child-of/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [...the framers of our Constitution never exhausted so much labor, wisdom and forbearance in its formation if it was intended to be broken up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/the-framers-of-our-constitution-never-exhausted-so-much-labor-wisdom/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [My trust is in the mercy and wisdom of a kind Providence, who ordereth all things for our good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/my-trust-is-in-the-mercy-and-wisdom-of-a-kind-providence-who-ordereth/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [All military history records the triumphs of discipline and courage far more frequently than numbers and resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/all-military-history-records-the-triumphs-of-discipline-and-courage/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/a-true-man-of-honor-feels-humbled-himself-when-he-cannot-help/) [Robert E. 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After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/lee-tells-his-troops-after-four-years-of-arduous-service-marked-by/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/obedience-to-lawful-authority-is-the-foundation-of-manly-character/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) [Explore all 170 Robert E. 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