Modern wars are seldom fought without hatred between nations; this serves more or less as a substitute for hatred between individuals.

In war, while everything is simple, even the simplest thing is difficult. Difficulties accumulate and produce frictions which no one can comprehend who has not seen war.

No campaign plan survives first contact with the enemy

This tremendous friction which cannot, as in mechanics, be reduced to a few points, is everywhere in contact with chance, and brings about effects that cannot be measured just because they are largely due to chance.

The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation form their purposes.

A general who allows himself to be decisively defeated in an extended mountain position deserves to be court-martialled.

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