The military weapon is but one of the means that serve the purposes of war: one out of the assortment which grand strategy can employ.

The art of the indirect approach can only be mastered, and its full scope appreciated, by study of and reflection upon the whole history of war. But we can at least crystallize the lessons into two simple maxims- one negative, the other positive. The first is that, in face of the overwhelming evidence of history, no general is justified in launching his troops to a direct attack upon an enemy firmly in position. The second, that instead of seeking to upset the enemy's equilibrium by one's attack, it must be upset before a real attack is, or can be successfully launched

In any problem where an opposing force exists and cannot be regulated, one must foresee and provide for alternative courses. Adaptability is the law which governs survival in war as in life ... To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's power to frustrate it; the best chance of overcoming such obstruction is to have a plan that can be easily varied to fit the circumstances met.

The only thing harder than getting a new idea into the military mind is to get an old one out.

Inflict the least possible permanent injury, for the enemy of to-day is the customer of the morrow and the ally of the future

If you want peace, understand war.

The search for the truth for truth's sake is the mark of the historian.