Everything is very simple in War, but the simplest thing is difficult. - Carl von Clausewitz

A resolução é a coragem aplicada a um caso particular; se se torna uma marca do caráter, passa a ser um hábito do espírito. Não se trata aqui da coragem diante do perigo físico, mas da coragem perante as responsabilidades, ou seja, de certa maneira, perante o perigo moral. É aquilo a que muitas vezes se chamou a coragem do espírito, porque dimana do espírito, ainda que não seja, no entanto, um esforço do espírito, mas sim do temperamento. A inteligência pura e simples não forja a coragem, pois as pessoas mais inteligentes são na sua maioria desprovidas de espírito de resolução. A inteligência precisa, primeiramente, despertar o sentimento de coragem, que mantém e sustenta, porque, nos momentos cruciais, o homem obedece mais aos seus sentimentos que às suas ideias.

But if the assailant, without troubling himself about the existence of the Army awaiting his attack in a defensive position, advances with his main body by another line in pursuit of his object, then he 'passes by the position,' and if he can do this with impunity, and really does it, he will immediately enforce the abandonment of the position, consequently put an end to its usefulness.

If we now turn to strength of mind or soul, then the first question is, What are we to understand thereby?

Plainly it is not vehement expressions of feeling, nor easily excited passions, for that would be contrary to all the usage of language, but the power of listening to reason in the midst of the most intense excitement, in the storm of the most violent passions. Should this power depend on strength of understanding alone? We doubt it. The fact that there are men of the greatest intellect who cannot command themselves certainly proves nothing to the contrary, for we might say that it perhaps requires an understanding of a powerful rather than of a comprehensive nature; but we believe we shall be nearer the truth if we assume that the power of submitting oneself to the control of the understanding, even in moments of the most violent excitement of the feelings, that power which we call self-command, has its root in the heart itself. It is, in point of fact, another feeling, which in strong minds balances the excited passions without destroying them; and it is only through this equilibrium that the mastery of the understanding is secured. This counterpoise is nothing but a sense of the dignity of man, that noblest pride, that deeply-seated desire of the soul always to act as a being endued with understanding and reason. We may therefore say that a strong mind is one which does not lose its balance even under the most violent excitement.