If the enemy is to be coerced, you must put him in a situation that is even more unpleasant than the sacrifice you call on him to make. The hardships of the situation must not be merely transient - at least not in appearance. Otherwise, the enemy would not give in, but would wait for things to improve.

If we read history with an open mind, we cannot fail to conclude that, among all the military virtues, the energetic conduct of war has always contributed most to glory and success.

[...] to introduce into the philosophy of war itself a principle of moderation would be an absurdity

Our knowledge of circumstances has increased, but our uncertainty, instead of having diminished, has only increased. The reason of this is, that we do not gain all our experience at once, but by degrees; so our determinations continue to be assailed incessantly by fresh experience; and the mind, if we may use the expression, must always be under arms.

Four elements make up the climate of war: danger, exertion, uncertainty and chance.

War is a conflict of great interests which is settled by bloodshed, and only in that is it different from others.

War is not merely a political act but a real political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, a carrying out of the same by other means.