Criticism exists only to recognize the truth, not to act as judge.

War is an act of force, and to the application of that force there is no limit. Each of the adversaries forces the hand of the other, and a reciprocal action results which in theory can have no limit.

All war presupposes human weakness and seeks to exploit it.

In war everything is simple, but it's the simple things that are difficult.

In 1793 such a force as no one had any conception of made its appearance. War had again suddenly become an affair of the people, and that of a people numbering thirty millions, every one of whom regarded himself as a citizen of the State... By this participation of the people in the war... a whole Nation with its natural weight came into the scale.

The best form of defense is attack.

The heart of France lies between Brussels and Paris.