“Generals are always prepared to fight the last war. ”

Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Winston S. Churchill601

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1874–1965

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“Corporate planning cycles are a classic example of generals fighting the last ware over again instead of preparing for what might lie ahead.”

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“Peace for us means the destruction of Israel. We are preparing for an all-out war, a war which will last for generations… We shall not rest until the day when we return to our home, and until we destroy Israel.”

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“We have hitherto but hunted deer; if we engage in this war, we must prepare to fight tigers.”

Amar Singh Thapa (1751–1816) Supreme Commander of the Western Front of Nepal

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“In peace, prepare for war. In war, prepare for peace.”

Sun Tzu (-543–-495 BC) ancient Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher from the Zhou Dynasty

Sometimes erroneously prepended to the opening line "The art of war is of vital importance to the State", but appears to be a variation of the Roman motto "Si vis pacem, para bellum". It's not clear who first misattributed this phrase to Sun Tzu. The earliest appearance of the phrase in Google Books is 1920, when it appeared in a pharmaceutical journal, but no attribution was given then.
Misattributed