“It should be the aim of grand strategy to discover and pierce the Achilles' heel of the opposing government's power to make war. Strategy, in turn, should seek to penetrate a joint in the harness of the opposing forces. To apply one's strength where the opponent is strong weakens oneself disproportionately to the effect attained. To strike with strong effect, one must strike at weakness.” ShouldWarGovernmentTurnsStrongForceEffectsMilitaryWeaknessAimStrategyOneselfStrikesOpponentsHeelsJointsPenetrateOpposingPierceHarnessAchillesWar StrategyAchilles Heel Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“The more usual reason for adopting a strategy of limited aim is that of awaiting a change in the balance of force ... The essential condition of such a strategy is that the drain on him should be disproportionately greater than on oneself.” ShouldReasonForceGreaterConditionsMilitaryBalanceEssentialsAimStrategyOneselfUsualDrainsAdopting Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“An army should always be so distributed that its parts can aid each other and combine to produce the maximum possible concentration of force at one place, while the minimum force necessary is used elsewhere to prepare the success of the concentration.” ShouldUsedForceMilitaryProduceArmyAidsConcentrationElsewhereMinimumMaximum Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“In any problem where an opposing force exists and cannot be regulated, one must foresee and provide for alternative courses. Adaptability is the law which governs survival in war as in life ... To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's power to frustrate it; the best chance of overcoming such obstruction is to have a plan that can be easily varied to fit the circumstances met.” WarProblemLawCoursesForceChanceEnemyPlansMilitaryFitCircumstancesMetsSurvivalOvercomingAccountsPracticalsAlternativesOpposingAdaptabilityObstruction Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“Air forces offered the possibility of striking a the enemy's economic and moral centres without having first to achieve 'the destruction of the enemy's main forces on the battlefield'. Air-power might attain a direct end by indirect means - hopping over opposition instead of overthrowing it.” FirstsMeanEndsMightForceMoralEnemyAirEconomicAchieveMilitaryPossibilityDirectDestructionOppositionCentreBattlefieldsAir ForceIndirectAir PowerHopping Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“If you find your opponent in a strong position costly to force, you should leave him a line of retreat as the quickest way of loosening his resistance. It should, equally, be a principle of policy, especially in war, to provide your opponent with a ladder by which he can climb down.” IfsWayShouldWarStrongForceLinesPrinciplesMilitaryPolicyPositionResistanceOpponentsClimbsRetreatLadders Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“It is folly to imagine that the aggressive types, whether individuals or nations, can be bought off ... since the payment of danegeld stimulates a demand for more danegeld. But they can be curbed. Their very belief in force makes them more susceptible to the deterrent effect of a formidable opposing force.” IndividualBeliefForceNationsImagineEffectsMilitaryTypeDemandFollyAggressiveImagine ThatPaymentOpposingFormidableSusceptibleDeterrent Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“The nearer the cutting off point lies to the main force of the enemy, the more immediate the effect; whereas the closer to the strategic base it takes place, the greater the effect.” LyingForceEnemyGreaterCuttingEffectsMilitaryStrategicCutting Off Author:B. H. Liddell Hart
“Vitality springs from diversity -- which makes for real progress so long as there is mutual toleration, based on the recognition that worse may come from an attempt to suppress differences than from acceptance of them. For this reason, the kind of peace that makes progress possible is best assured by the mutual checks created by a balance of forces-alike in the sphere of internal politics and of international relations.” KindMayLongRealReasonPoliticsForcePeaceDifferencesJusticePowerProgressAcceptanceBalanceDiversitySpringRelationIndependenceInternationalToleranceChecksRecognitionInternalsMutualSpheresIndividualismAssuredVitalityInternational RelationsToleration Book:Why Don't We Learn from History? Source: Why Don't We Learn from History?
