Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.

Boldness will be at a disadvantage only in an encounter with deliberate caution, which may be considered bold in its own right, and is certainly just as powerful and effective; but such cases are rare.

Talent and genius operate outside the rules, and theory conflicts with practice.

We must evaluate the political sympathies of other states and the effect war may have on them. To assess these things in all their ramifications and diversity is plainly a colossal task. Rapid and correct appraisal of them clearly calls for the intuition of a genius; to master all this complex mass by sheer methodical examination is obviously impossible. Bonaparte was quite right when he said that Newton himself would quail before the algebraic problems it could pose.

Close combat, man to man, is plainly to be regarded as the real basis of combat.

Men are always more inclined to pitch their estimate of the enemy's strength too high than too low, such is human nature.

Politics is the womb in which war develops.