Erwin Rommel

"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war."

"I would rather have one day with wolves than a thousand years with sheep."

"Wars are not won by defensive operations."

"The art of war consists in deciding when to fight and where, but this is a matter of leadership judgment."

"In the absence of orders, find something and kill it."

"It is not the German Army which lost the war, but the German people."

"One cannot help but be awed by the scope of war's destruction and the fragility of human life."

"The real problem is not who fires the shot, but who is responsible for putting the man in the position to fire it."

"A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan executed too late."

"Be an example to your men. If you expect them to take risks, you must be willing to take them yourself."

"Men are basically alike. It is the differences in their beliefs that separate them."

"Never underestimate the power of an enemy, nor overestimate the strength of your own force."

"The first principle of war is that you must have an objective."

"Always look ahead but never look back."

"One must always strive to keep his men's morale high."

"I believe that it is wiser to accept the facts of existence than to waste one's life struggling against them."

"Every man has his breaking point, but character is determined by how he acts before reaching it."

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

"Know what your men can do and ensure they can do it better than anyone else."

"A military commander must trust his instinct, but verify with facts."

"One cannot fight on all fronts and expect to succeed."

"Discipline is the foundation of any successful organization."

"The victor will be he who has the last reserves."

"In times of crisis, a man's true character is revealed."

"One must have the courage to admit when one is wrong."

"The responsibility of a commander is immense, and the burden is never light."

"Speed and surprise are the weapons of the victor."

"A commander must never show doubt before his men."

"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."

"The best form of defense is a well-executed offense."