Alfred von Schlieffen

"A retreat that preserves your army is sometimes more glorious than a hollow victory that destroys it."

"In military affairs, the side that best understands the limits of its own knowledge often prevails."

"The study of geography teaches that some positions are worth fighting for regardless of the cost."

"A commander's greatest strength may be knowing when he is out of his depth and seeking counsel."

"The morale of troops depends less on their confidence in victory than on their trust in their commander."

"Nations prepare for war most earnestly in the moments when they most desperately desire peace."

"In strategy, the map is not the territory, and the plan is not the battle."

"A general who cannot admit error will commit the same mistakes until they become catastrophic."

"The true victory in war is when your enemy surrenders without the final battle being fought."

"An understanding of logistics is an understanding of the limits of human ambition."

"In matters of national defense, the worst time to prepare is when the need becomes obvious."

"A commander surrounded by yes-men is already surrounded by enemies."

"The study of failed generals teaches more than the study of successful ones."

"In war, yesterday's certainties often become today's fatal assumptions."

"A nation's true power lies not in its weapons, but in the quality of its strategic thinking."

"The greatest commanders are those humble enough to learn from those they command."