Top 15 Carl von Clausewitz Quotes

The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.

If the mind is to emerge unscathed from this relentless struggle with the unforeseen, two qualities are indispensable: first, an intellect that, even in the darkest hour, retains some glimmerings of the inner light which leads to truth; and second, the courage to follow this faint light wherever it may lead.

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

Everything in war is very simple, but the simplest thing is difficult

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

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

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.

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

There are very few men-and they are the exceptions-who are able to think and feel beyond the present moment

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

We repeat again: 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.

Our knowledge of circumstances has increased, but our uncertainty, instead of having diminished, has only increased. The reason of this is, that we do not gain all our experience at once, but by degrees; so our determinations continue to be assailed incessantly by fresh experience; and the mind, if we may use the expression, must always be under arms.

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

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.

All war presupposes human weakness and seeks to exploit it.