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Quote by Antoine-Henri Jomini

“The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one it becomes necessary to have an accurate knowledge of the enemy's camp.”

Quote by Antoine-Henri Jomini

Book:The Art of War

Work

This seminal work explores the principles of warfare, leadership, and conflict resolution, offering timeless insights into the nature of power and the art of winning battles without resorting to brute force. more

Author

Antoine-Henri Jomini

Antoine-Henri Jomini was a Swiss military theorist and writer, renowned for his seminal works on military strategy and tactics. Born on March 6, 1779, in the Valais region of Switzerland, Jomini served in the Swiss, French, and Russian armies during his career. His most famous works include 'The Art of War' and 'Vindications of the Conduct of the Campaigns of 1815'. He passed away on March 24, 1869. more

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“This [a surprise attack] is an operation by no means to be despised in war, although it is rare, and less brilliant than a great strategic combination which renders victory certain even before the battle is fought.”

Mean War Certain Victory Battle Surprise Brilliant Combination Operations Strategic Despised Surprise Attacks

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“It is certainly of great importance for a general to keep his plans secret; and Frederick the Great was right when he said that if his night-cap knew what was in his head he would throw it into the fire. That kind of secrecy was practicable in Frederick's time when his whole army was kept closely about him; but when maneuvers of the vastness of Napoleon's are executed, and war is waged as in our day, what concert of action can be expected from generals who are utterly ignorant of what is going on around them?”

Ifs Kind Said War Whole Action Night Secret Fire Plans Importance Army Expected Ignorant Concerts Secrecy Caps Vastness

Author:Antoine-Henri Jomini

“One of the surest ways of forming good combinations in war would be to order movements only after obtaining perfect information of the enemy's proceedings. In fact, how can any man say what he should do himself; if he is ignorant what his adversary is about?”

Ifs Men Way Should War Facts Would Be Order Perfect Enemy Information Movement Ignorant Combination Adversaries Proceeding Obtaining

Book:The Art of War

Source: The Art of War

“But it is almost impossible to communicate with them [one's spies in the enemy camp] and receive the information they possess ... Even when the general receives from his spies information of movements, he still knows nothing of those which may since have taken place, nor of what the enemy is going finally to attempt.”

Knows May Stills Enemy Taken Impossible Information Movement Communicate Camps Spy

Author:Antoine-Henri Jomini

“For if many ill-conceived plans have succeeded through the still greater lack of judgment of an opponent, many more, apparently well laid, have on the contrary ended in disgrace. The confidence with which we form our schemes is never completely justified in their execution; speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.”

Ifs Wells Stills Action Form Causes Greater Plans Judgment Safety Ill Contrary Opponents Execution Schemes Justified Speculation Disgrace

Book:The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War

Source: The Landmark Thucydides: A Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War

“In order not to annul our free will, I judge it true that Fortune may be mistress of one half our actions but then even she leaves the other half, or almost, under our control.”

May Action Order Half Judging Fortune Free Will Our Actions Mistress Other Half One Half

Author:Niccolo Machiavelli

“With difficulty he is beaten who can estimate his own forces and those of his enemy.”

Force Enemy Difficulty Beaten

Author:Niccolo Machiavelli

“Of all those in the army close to the commander, none is more intimate than the secret agent.”

Secret Army Agents Operations Intimate Commanders Confidential Secret Agent

Author:Sun Tzu

“Of all rewards none [is] more liberal than those given to secret agents.”

Given Secret Rewards Agents Operations Confidential Secret Agent

Author:Sun Tzu

“The sovereign must have full knowledge of the activities of the five sorts of agents. This knowledge must come from the double agents, and therefore it is mandatory that they be treated with the utmost liberality.”

Five Activity Treated Agents Sovereign Liberality

Author:Sun Tzu