Bismarck fought 'necessary' wars and killed thousands, the idealists of the twentieth century fight 'just' wars and kill millions.

Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman never gave offence to anyone not even the enemy.

Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.

There is nothing nicer than nodding off while reading. Going fast asleep and then being woken by the crash of the book on the floor, then saying to yourself, well it doesn't matter much. An admirable feeling.

History is not another name for the past, as many people imply. It is the name for stories about the past.

We are apt to say that a foreign policy is successful only when the country, or at any rate the governing class, is united behind it. In reality, every line of policy is repudiated by a section, often by an influential section, of the country concerned. A foreign minister who waited until everyone agreed with him would have no foreign policy at all.

No matter what political reasons are given for war, the underlying reason is always economic.