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Quote by B. H. Liddell Hart

“For whoever habitually suppresses the truth in the interests of tact will produce a deformity from the womb of his thought.”

Quote by B. H. Liddell Hart

Book:Why Don't We Learn from History?

Work

Why Don't We Learn from History?

This book delves into the cyclical nature of historical events, analyzing the reasons behind the repetition of certain patterns and failures to learn from the past. It explores the complexities of human behavior and societal structures that contribute to these recurring issues. more

Author

B. H. Liddell Hart

B.H. Liddell Hart was a British military theorist known for his profound understanding of strategy and tactics, whose works have had a profound impact on modern military thought. more

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“For even the best of peace training is more theoretical than practical experience ... indirect practical experience may be the more valuable because infinitely wider.”

May Military Training Valuable Practicals Theoretical Indirect Practical Experience

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“The predominance of moral factors in all military decisions. On them constantly turns the issue of war and battle. In the history of war they form the more constant factors, changing only in degree, whereas the physical factors are different in almost every war and every military situation.”

Different War Form Turns Decision Situation Moral Issues Military Battle Degrees Constant Factors Wars And Battles

Book:Why Don't We Learn from History?

Source: Why Don't We Learn from History?

“The most consistently successful commanders, when faced by an enemy in a position that was strong naturally or materially, have hardly ever tackled it in a direct way. And when, under pressure of circumstances, they have risked a direct attack, the result has commonly been to blot their record with a failure.”

Way Strong Results Enemy Successful Records Military Position Circumstances Direct Pressure Consistently Commanders Under Pressure

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“This high proportion of history's decisive campaigns, the significance of which is enhanced by the comparative rarity of the direct approach, enforces the conclusion that the indirect is by far the most hopeful and economic form of strategy.”

Form Economic Military Approach Direct Strategy Campaigns Conclusion Proportion Hopeful Significance Indirect Rarity Direct Approach

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“Natural hazards, however formidable, are inherently less dangerous and less uncertain than fighting hazards. All conditions are more calculable, all obstacles more surmountable than those of human resistance.”

Humans Fighting Natural Conditions Military Dangerous Obstacles Resistance Uncertain Hazards Formidable

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“The effect to be sought is the dislocation of the opponent's mind and dispositions - such an effect is the true gauge of an indirect approach.”

Mind Effects Military Approach Opponents Disposition Indirect Gauges Dislocation

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“In a campaign against more than one state or army, it is more fruitful to concentrate first against the weaker partner than to attempt the overthrow of the stronger in the belief that the latter's defeat will automatically involve the collapse of the others.”

Firsts States Belief Military Army Stronger Defeat Partners Campaigns Latter Collapse

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“The military weapon is but one of the means that serve the purposes of war: one out of the assortment which grand strategy can employ.”

Mean War Purpose Military Weapons Strategy Military Weapons

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“While there are many causes for which a state goes to war, its fundamental object can be epitomized as that of ensuring the continuance of its policy - in face of the determination of the opposing state to pursue a contrary policy. In the human will lies the source and mainspring of conflict.”

Humans War States Faces Lying Causes Military Policy Objects Source Conflict Determination Fundamentals Contrary Pursue Opposing Human Will Continuance

Author:B. H. Liddell Hart

“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.”