Bernard Montgomery

"A soldier's confidence is not built by words, but by actions—by winning, by proper leadership, by competence."

"The real problem is whether the war between the sexes could ever be won. I doubt it."

"A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits."

"In the end, it is not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years."

"I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."

"The soldier's heart, the soldier's spirit, is to stay in the fight."

"If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will fail."

"A good commander creates unity of purpose among his troops."

"Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable."

"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on."

"I do not believe in taking the right decision, there is no such thing. One must take a decision and make it right."

"A sense of humour is part of the art of leadership of the higher order, and ordeals which a man has to go through test this for him."

"The great tradition of parliamentary government requires an easy intercourse between the political and military leaders."

"Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality."

"Morale is the big thing in war."

"I have fought as a soldier, but I believe I have also learned to think as a man."

"One must always work on the assumption that every man is potentially a brother."

"Standards are always at their highest before they are met."

"The great gift of an orderly mind is to prevent itself from becoming fixed in a groove."

"I believe the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time."

"Any officer who goes into action without his men getting at least a good night's sleep the night before is committing a crime against his country."

"In military operations, time is everything; lose it and you lose the battle."

"A commander must have character if he is to inspire confidence in his soldiers."

"The right man in the right place at the right time can change the course of history."

"I have always been a firm believer in the saying that the pen is mightier than the sword."

"Fear is the enemy of progress. Courage is the beginning of all things."

"A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong."

"The human spirit is capable of enduring almost anything if the will is strong enough."

"I have learned that the real victory is not the conquest of territory, but the conquest of hearts."

"Patience is not passive; it is active waiting for the right moment."