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Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz Quotes

Military Historian

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Famous Carl von Clausewitz Quotes

“War is the realm of uncertainty; three-quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty. ... war is the realm of chance. No other human activity gives it greater scope; no other has such incessant and varied dealings with this intruder. Chance makes everything more uncertain and interferes with the whole course of events.”

GivingHumansWarWholeActionThreeCoursesChanceGreaterEventsActivityFactorsUncertaintyRealmsQuartersUncertainInterfereFogScopeHuman ActivityDealingsIncessantIntruders
Book:On War
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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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