Carl von Clausewitz Quotes - Page 5

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• This tremendous friction which cannot, as in mechanics, be reduced to a few points, is everywhere in contact with chance, and brings about effects that cannot be measured just because they are largely due to chance.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Chance, Mechanic, Friction

  Carl von Clausewitz (2014). “Carl von Clausewitz: Historical and Political Writings”, p.11, Princeton University Press

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• However much pains may be taken to combine the soldier and the citizen in one and the same individual, whatever may be done to nationalize wars, never will it be possible to do away with the professionalism of the business; and if that cannot be done, then those who belong to it will always look upon themselves as a kind of guild, in the regulations, laws, and customs in which the "Spirit of War" finds its expression. It would be very wrong to look down upon this corporate spirit, or esprit de corps, which may and should exist more or less in every Army.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Pain, War, Taken

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• Whenever armed forces . . . are used, the idea of combat must be present. . . . The end for which a soldier is recruited, clothed, armed, and trained, the whole object of his sleeping, eating, drinking, and marching is simply that he should fight at the right place and the right time.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Drinking, Sleep, Fighting

  Carl von Clausewitz (2008). “On War”, p.95, Princeton University Press

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• By 'intelligence' we mean every sort of information about the enemy and his country - the basis, in short, of our own plans and operations.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Country, Mean, Enemy

  Carl von Clausewitz (2008). “On War”, p.117, Princeton University Press

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• 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.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Military, War, Mind

  Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, Peter Paret (1989). “On War”, p.229, Princeton University Press

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• There is nothing more common than to find considerations of supply affecting the strategic lines of a campaign and a war.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Lines, Campaigns

  Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, Peter Paret (1989). “On War”, p.131, Princeton University Press

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• A certain grasp of military affairs is vital for those in charge of general policy.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Military, Affair, Certain

  Carl von Clausewitz (1989). “On Victory and Defeat: From "On War"”, p.608, Princeton University Press

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• Any complex activity, if it is to be carried on with any degree of virtuosity, calls for appropriate gifts of intellect and temperament. If they are outstanding and reveal themselves in exceptional achievements, their possessor is called a 'genius'.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Achievement, Degrees, Genius

  Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, Peter Paret (1989). “On War”, p.100, Princeton University Press

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• If you entrench yourself behind strong fortifications, you compel the enemy seek a solution elsewhere.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Strong, Military, Enemy

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• War is not merely a political act but a real political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, a carrying out of the same by other means.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Peace, Real, War

  Carl von Clausewitz (1943). “On war: Translated from the German by O.J. Matthijs Jolles”

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• We must, therefore, be confident that the general measures we have adopted will produce the results we expect. most important in this connection is the trust which we must have in our lieutenants. consequently, it is important to choose men on whom we can rely and to put aside all other considerations. if we have made appropriate preparations, taking into account all possible misfortunes, so that we shall not be lost immediately if they occur, we must boldly advance into the shadows of uncertainty.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Military, Men, Preparation

  Carl von Clausewitz (2012). “Principles of War”, p.41, Courier Corporation

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• [The cause of inaction in war] ... is the imperfection of human perception and judgment which is more pronounced in war than anywhere else. We hardly know accurately our own situation at any particular moment while the enemy's, which is concealed from us, must be deduced from very little evidence.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Imperfection, Perception

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• I shall proceed from the simple to the complex. But in war more than in any other subject we must begin by looking at the nature of the whole; for here more than elsewhere the part and the whole must always be thought of together.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Simple, Together

  Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, Peter Paret (1989). “On War”, p.75, Princeton University Press

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• All war presupposes human weakness and seeks to exploit it.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Weakness, Humans

  Carl von Clausewitz (2008). “On War”, p.256, Princeton University Press

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• It is paltry philosophy if in the old-fashioned way one lays down rules and principles in total disregard of moral values . As soon as these appear one regards them as exceptions, which gives them a certain scientific status, and thus makes them into rules. Or again one may appeal to genius , which is above all rules; which amounts to admitting that rules are not only made for idiots , but are idiotic in themselves.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Philosophy, Giving, Principles

  Carl von Clausewitz (1989). “On War”, p.184, Princeton University Press

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• Lastly, the great uncertainty of all data in War is a peculiar difficulty, because all action must, to a certain extent, be planned in a mere twilight, which in addition not unfrequently — like the effect of a fog or moonshine — gives to things exaggerated dimensions and an unnatural appearance.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Twilight, Data

  "On War".

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• [...] to introduce into the philosophy of war itself a principle of moderation would be an absurdity

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Philosophy, War, Principles

  Carl von Clausewitz (2016). “On War: Vom Kriege: fog of war”, p.8, Aegitas

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• Just as some plants bear fruit only if they don't shoot up too high, so in practical arts the leaves and flowers of theory must be pruned and the plant kept close to its proper soil- experience.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Art, Flower, Soil

  Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, Peter Paret (1989). “On War”, p.61, Princeton University Press

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• Architects and painters know precisely what they are about as long as they deal with material phenomena.... But when they come to the aesthetics of their work, when they aim at a particular effect on the mind or on the senses, the rules dissolve into nothing but vague ideas.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Ideas, Long, Mind

  Carl von Clausewitz, Michael Howard, Peter Paret (1989). “On War”, p.136, Princeton University Press

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• Our knowledge of circumstances has increased, but our uncertainty, instead of having diminished, has only increased. The reason of this is, that we do not gain all our experience at once, but by degrees; so our determinations continue to be assailed incessantly by fresh experience; and the mind, if we may use the expression, must always be under arms.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Determination, Expression, Mind

  Carl von Clausewitz (2016). “On War: Vom Kriege: fog of war”, p.36, Aegitas

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• War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Mean, Politics

  'Vom Kriege' (1832-4) bk. 8, ch. 6, sect. B, commonly rendered in the form 'War is the continuation of politics by other means'.

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• ...as man under pressure tends to give in to physical and intellectual weakness, only great strength of will can lead to the objective.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Men, Giving, Intellectual

  Carl von Clausewitz (2008). “On War”, p.193, Princeton University Press

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• Only the element of chance is needed to make war a gamble, and that element is never absent.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Elements, Chance

  Carl von Clausewitz (2008). “On War”, p.85, Princeton University Press

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• War is merely a continuation of politics.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  War, Continuation

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• Battles decide everything.

  Carl von Clausewitz

  Battle

  1812 Principles of War (translated by J J Graham).

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