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Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz Quotes

Military Historian

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Famous Carl von Clausewitz Quotes

“It is paltry philosophy if in the old-fashioned way one lays down rules and principles in total disregard of moral values . As soon as these appear one regards them as exceptions, which gives them a certain scientific status, and thus makes them into rules. Or again one may appeal to genius , which is above all rules; which amounts to admitting that rules are not only made for idiots , but are idiotic in themselves.”

IfsWayGivingMayMadePhilosophyCertainValuesMoralPrinciplesAmountGeniusRegardLaysAppealsIdiotExceptionOld FashionedDisregardAdmittingIdioticMoral Values
Book:On War
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“If we consider the actual basis of this information [i.e., intelligence], how unreliable and transient it is, we soon realize that war is a flimsy structure that can easily collapse and bury us in its ruins. ... Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain. This is true of all intelligence but even more so in the heat of battle, where such reports tend to contradict and cancel each other out. In short, most intelligence is false, and the effect of fear is to multiply lies and inaccuracies.”

IfsWarLyingRealizingEffectsInformationBattleBasesStructureRuinsHeatReportsCollapseUncertainContradictoryTransientUnreliable
Author:Carl von Clausewitz
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“A general in time of war is constantly bombarded by reports both true and false; by errors arising from fear or negligence or hastiness; by disobedience born of right or wrong interpretations, of ill will; of a proper or mistaken sense of duty; of laziness; or of exhaustion; and by accident that nobody could have foreseen. In short, he is exposed to countless impressions, most of them disturbing, few of them encouraging. ... If a man were to yield to these pressures, he would never complete an operation.”

IfsMenWarBornDutyPressureErrorsIllAccidentsImpressionOperationsReportsInterpretationYieldExposedLazinessMistakenDisturbingDisobedienceExhaustionNegligenceIll WillBombardedForeseenTrue And FalseBombarded By
Book:On War
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“However much pains may be taken to combine the soldier and the citizen in one and the same individual, whatever may be done to nationalize wars, never will it be possible to do away with the professionalism of the business; and if that cannot be done, then those who belong to it will always look upon themselves as a kind of guild, in the regulations, laws, and customs in which the "Spirit of War" finds its expression. It would be very wrong to look down upon this corporate spirit, or esprit de corps, which may and should exist more or less in every Army.”

IfsShouldLooksKindMayWarDoneWould BePainLawSpiritIndividualTakenExpressionCitizensArmySoldierCorporateLook UpCustomsRegulationProfessionalismGuildsEsprit De Corps
Author:Carl von Clausewitz
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“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.”

IfsMindMayReasonUseExpressionArmsCircumstancesDegreesGainsDeterminationUncertaintyIncessantly
Book:On War: Vom Kriege: fog of war
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“We must, therefore, be confident that the general measures we have adopted will produce the results we expect. most important in this connection is the trust which we must have in our lieutenants. consequently, it is important to choose men on whom we can rely and to put aside all other considerations. if we have made appropriate preparations, taking into account all possible misfortunes, so that we shall not be lost immediately if they occur, we must boldly advance into the shadows of uncertainty.”

IfsMenMadeImportantLostResultsMilitaryProduceShadowConnectionsAccountsPreparationUncertaintyRelyAppropriateConsiderationMisfortunesAdoptedBe ConfidentLieutenants
Book:Principles of War
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“After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be ready to abandon it at the slightest provocation. should this certainty be lacking, we must tell ourselves that nothing is accomplished in warfare without daring; that the nature of war certainly does not let us see at all times where we are going; that what is probable will always be probable though at the moment it may not seem so; and finally, that we cannot be readily ruined by a single error, if we have made reasonable preparations.”

IfsShouldMayDoeMadeWarMomentsSeemsFoundPlansMilitaryReadyPrejudiceErrorsAll TimeCertaintyPreparationAccomplishedReasonableAbandonDaringWarfareLackingRuinedPlausibleProvocation
Author:Carl von Clausewitz
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“If we do not learn to regard a war, and the separate campaigns of which it is composed, as a chain of linked engagements each leading to the next, but instead succumb to the idea that the capture of certain geographical points or the seizure of undefended provinces are of value in themselves, we are liable to regard them as windfall profits.”

IfsIdeasWarCertainValuesNextRegardProfitCampaignsChainsCaptureEngagementLinkedProvincesLiableSeizures
Book:On War
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“The object of defense is preservation; and since it is easier to hold ground than to take it, defense is easier than attack. But defense has a passive purpose: preservation; and attack a positive one: conquest.... If defense is the stronger form of war, yet has a negative object, it follows that it should be used only so long as weakness compels, and be abandoned as soon as we are strong enough to pursue a positive object.”

IfsShouldLongWarEnoughFormUsedPurposeStrongObjectsEasierWeaknessNegativeStrongerDefensePursueAbandonedPassivePreservationConquestStrong Enough
Author:Carl von Clausewitz
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