“Rule 1, on page 1 of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler, and it is no good. That is the first rule. I do not know whether your Lordships will know Rule 2 of war. It is: "Do not go fighting with your land armies in China."”

— Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

It is a vast country, with no clearly defined objectives.
In the House of Lords, 30 May 1962 ( Hansard, Col. 227 http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1962/may/30/the-army-estimates#S5LV0241P0-00791)

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Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein 9

British Army officer, Commander of Allied forces at the Bat… 1887–1976

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Variant: Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget rule No. 1.