Military Strategy Quotes

My center is giving way, my right is pushed back, my left is wavering. The situation is excellent. I shall attack!

In keeping with his cryptic nature, all your Story Weaver said was 'The horses know where to go.' It's certainly not a military strategy I would use, but I've learned that the south uses its own strategy. And, strangely enough, it works.

In one of the decisive battles of World War I, disastrous reports poured into the headquarters of Marshal Foch, the commander of the Allied forces. The great general never lost heart. When things were at their worst, he drafted his famous order which is now in all textbooks of military strategy: "My center is giving way, my right is pushed back, my left is wavering. The situation is excellent. I shall attack!"

In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.

The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.

Know the enemy and know yourself.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

Our poetry emulates the recent progress in military strategy: Our army's strength is the foot soldiers.

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

Since the events of September 11, weve rightfully changed our military strategy so were now taking the fight to those individuals who aim to do us harm, rather than waiting for another atrocious attack to happen.

[Barack Obama] is sending more troops [to Afghanistan], but they have also realized that we are not going to win that war through guns and tanks. We have to engage the neighbors, and it is good that there is a non-military strategy in addition to a military strategy. It is, at least, encouraging. Whether it will work or not, the jury is still put.

There's a sense of desperation in Afghanistan because of the lack of funding and the fact that the U.S. only has a one-track military strategy. It doesn't have an economic and political game plan.

If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is tempermental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.