No one starts a war--or rather, no one in his sense ought to do so--without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by the war and how he intends to conduct it.

Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.

There are cases in which the greatest daring is the greatest wisdom.

In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards.

Whenever armed forces . . . are used, the idea of combat must be present. . . . The end for which a soldier is recruited, clothed, armed, and trained, the whole object of his sleeping, eating, drinking, and marching is simply that he should fight at the right place and the right time.

[The cause of inaction in war] ... is the imperfection of human perception and judgment which is more pronounced in war than anywhere else. We hardly know accurately our own situation at any particular moment while the enemy's, which is concealed from us, must be deduced from very little evidence.

Principles and rules are intended to provide a thinking man with a frame of reference.