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Carl von
Clausewitz |
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Quotes and Teachings |
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Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831)
was a Prussian soldier, military
historian and military theorist
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Great things alone can make a great
mind, and petty things will make a petty mind unless a man rejects
them as completely alien.
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Wisdom
Outstanding Thinker |
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There are cases in which
the greatest daring is the greatest
wisdom.
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Courage |
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It is even better to
act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time
of action is past. |
Carl von
Clausewitz |
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Never forget that no
military leader has ever
become great without audacity.
If the leader is filled with
high ambition and if he pursues
his aims with
audacity and
strength of will, he will reach
them in spite of all obstacles.
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“History had no lessons or rules to offer the student,
it could only broaden his understanding and strengthen
his critical judgment.”
“Of all the passions that inspire a man in a battle,
none, we have to admit, is so powerful and so constant
as the longing for honor and renown.”
“Everything in war is very simple, but the simplest
thing is difficult.”
“Although our intellect always longs for clarity and
certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty
fascinating.”
“If the mind is to emerge unscathed from this relentless
struggle with the unforeseen, two qualities are
indispensable: first, an intellect that, even in the
darkest hour, retains some glimmerings of the inner
light which leads to truth; and second, the courage to
follow this faint light wherever it may lead.”
“We repeat again: strength of character does not consist
solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining
one’s balance in spite of them. Even with the violence
of emotion, judgment and principle must still function
like a ship’s compass, which records the slightest
variations however rough the sea.”
“If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he
pursues his aims with audacity and strength of will, he
will reach them in spite of all obstacles.”
“...as man under pressure tends to give in to physical
and intellectual weakness, only great strength of will
can lead to the objective.”
“...the side that feels the lesser urge for peace will
naturally get the better bargain.”
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We can teach ourselves to
see things the way they are. Only with
vision can we begin to see things the way they can
be.
Sometimes we think we're a
little too gifted to show up, you know. But none of us
truly is... By avoiding
risk we really risk what's most important in life
− reaching toward growth, our potential, and a
true contribution to a common good. |
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We need to give each other
the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our
diversity. We need to give each other space so that
we may both
give and receive such beautiful things as
ideas, openness, dignity,
joy,
healing, and inclusion. |
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War is nothing but a continuation of
politics with the admixture of other means.
No one starts a war--or rather, no
one in his sense ought to do so--without first being clear in
his mind what he intends to achieve by the war and how he
intends to conduct it.
To achieve victory we must mass
our forces at the hub of all power and movement. The enemy’s
"center of gravity”.
If we read history with an open
mind, we cannot fail to conclude that, among all the military
virtues, the energetic conduct of war has always contributed
most to glory and success.
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The conqueror is always a
lover of peace; he would prefer to take over our country
unopposed. |
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