War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.

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.

The only situation a commander can know fully is his own: his opponent's he can know only from unreliable intelligence.

In war the will is directed at an animate object that reacts.

The more physical the activity, the less the difficulties will be. The more the activity becomes intellectual and turns into motives which exercise a determining influence on the commander's will, the more the difficulties will increase.

Given the same amount of intelligence, timidity will do a thousand times more damage than audacity

There are times when the utmost daring is the height of wisdom.