Helmuth von Moltke

"The pursuit of beauty in art and in action both ennoble the human spirit."

"Technology is merely a tool; wisdom lies in knowing how to use it."

"A strategic retreat is often the prelude to a great advance."

"The sound judgment required in military matters is the sound judgment required in life."

"To honor the fallen is to understand what our freedom has cost."

"A commander who loves his country more than he loves glory will earn both."

"The seeds of future conflicts are sown in the treaties that end present ones."

"One should approach each day as though it were both the first and the last."

"The study of philosophy is the study of how to live well and die well."

"A kind word to a subordinate often accomplishes what harsh orders cannot."

"The music of a well-organized military is as beautiful as any symphony."

"In matters of principle, one should be as immovable as the mountains."

"A mistake made swiftly and corrected immediately is less costly than indecision."

"The happiness of those under one's command is the responsibility of the leader."

"A friendship born of mutual respect and honest dealing will endure all trials."

"The family is the first school of virtue; a nation is only as strong as its families."

"Hope is not passivity; hope is the fuel for active striving toward better outcomes."

"A man who changes his mind in the face of new evidence shows wisdom, not weakness."

"The pursuit of knowledge is a sacred obligation of those entrusted with power."

"Nature teaches the strategist that strength comes from harmony, not domination."

"The measure of success is not the heights one reaches, but the good one does along the way."