Carl von Clausewitz: Trending quotes

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Carl von Clausewitz: 136 quotes21 likes

“To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power and movement. The enemy’s "center of gravity”

Carl von Clausewitz

“There are cases in which the greatest daring is the greatest wisdom.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

Variant: There are times when the utmost daring is the height of wisdom.
Source: On War (1832), Book 2

“Strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one’s balance in spite of them.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

Source: On War (1832), Book 1, Chapter 3.
Context: Strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one’s balance in spite of them. Even with the violence of emotion, judgment and principle must still function like a ship’s compass, which records the slightest variations however rough the sea.

“No one starts a war--or rather, no one in his sense ought to do so--without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by the war and how he intends to conduct it.”

Carl von Clausewitz

“War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

Variant: War Is Merely the Continuation of Policy by Other Means
Source: On War (1832), Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 24, in the Princeton University Press translation (1976)
Variant translation: War is merely the continuation of politics by other means.
Context: War Is Merely the Continuation of Policy by Other Means
We see, therefore, that war is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse carried on with other means. What remains peculiar to war is simply the peculiar nature of its means.

“Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 1

“Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

Source: On War (1832), Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 3, Paragraph 1.
Context: Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. Pleasant as it sounds, it is a fallacy that must be exposed: War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.

“Everything in war is simple, but the simplest thing is difficult.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 1

“The conqueror is always a lover of peace; he would prefer to take over our country unopposed.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

Source: On War (1832), Book 6, Ch. 2

“If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he pursues his aims with audacity and strength of will, he will reach them in spite of all obstacles.”

Carl von Clausewitz

“All war presupposes human weakness and seeks to exploit it.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 5

“Boldness governed by superior intellect is the mark of a hero.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 3

“War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

Source: On War (1832), Book 1, Chapter 1, Section 3, Paragraph 1.
Context: Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. Pleasant as it sounds, it is a fallacy that must be exposed: War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.

“…as man under pressure tends to give in to physical and intellectual weakness, only great strength of will can lead to the objective.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 3

“If a segment of one's force is located where it is not sufficiently busy with the enemy, or if the troops are on the march - that is, idle - while the enemy is fighting, then these forces are being managed uneconomically. In this sense they are being wasted, which is even worse than using them inappropriately.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 3

“…it is better to go on striking in the same direction than to move one's forces this way and that.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 2

“The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing practical to alter or deflect the impulse to destroy the enemy, which is central to the very idea of war.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 1

“Our discussion has shown that while in war many different roads can lead to the goal, to the attainment of the political object, fighting is the only possible means.”

Carl von Clausewitz book On War

On War (1832), Book 1