No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision.

Disaster is rarely as pervasive as it seems from recorded accounts. The fact of being on the record makes it appear continuous and ubiquitous whereas it is more likely to have been sporadic both in time and place.

The conduct of war was so much more interesting than its prevention.

I have always felt like an artist when I work on a book. I see no reason why the word should always be confined to writers of fiction and poetry.

Russians, in the knowledge of inexhaustible supplies of manpower, are accustomed to accepting gigantic fatalities with comparative calm.

Wisdom - meaning judgment acting on experience, common sense, available knowledge, and a decent appreciation of probability.

I want the reader to turn the page and keep on turning to the end.