“The history of failure in war can almost be summed up in two words: 'Too late.'”

—  Douglas MacArthur

Too late in comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy; too late in realizing the mortal danger; too late in preparedness; too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance, too late in standing with one's friends. Victory in war results from no mysterious alchemy or wizardry but depends entirely upon the concentration of superior force at the critical points of combat.

Statement MacArthur made in 1940, as quoted by James B. Reston in Prelude to Victory (1942), p. 64
1940s

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U.S. Army general of the army, field marshal of the Army of… 1880–1964

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