Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it his own.

One cannot govern with 'buts'.

As an adolescent I was convinced that France would have to go through gigantic trials, that the interest of life consisted in one day rendering her some signal service and that I would have the occasion to do so.

Authority doesn't work without prestige, or prestige without distance.

Deliberation is a function of the many; action is the function of one.

I always thought I was Jeanne d'Arc and Bonaparte. How little one knows oneself.

Whereas ordinary officers must be content with behaving correctly in front of their men, the great leaders have always carefully stage-managed their effects.