Wisdom Quotes

"A commander must know not only when to fight, but when to refrain from fighting."

"The greatest victory is the one that costs the fewest lives."

"The mark of a civilized man is his ability to disagree without becoming disagreeable."

"A good commander knows when to lead and when to follow."

"In matters of principle, one should be firm; in matters of policy, flexible."

"The greatest victory often comes from knowing when to retreat."

"In all my years, I have found that simplicity is the mark of true understanding."

"I have learned that the best strategy is often the most direct one."

"Intellect alone is not enough; the heart must be engaged in every great undertaking."

"The fog of war obscures all plans, yet the prepared mind adapts to it."

"In strategy, the simplest plans are often the most effective when executed with precision."

"In the council of war, the wisest voice is often the quietest."

"To understand your opponent is to possess half the victory already."

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

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

"The inevitable effect of a close-looked-at thing is that it ceases to be something looked at and becomes something seen."

"Every attempt to make war otherwise than destructive to the enemy is sheer nonsense."

"I tell you for certain that we have lost the peace."

"The proper use of the military is an art, not a science."

"The measure of a general is in how few men he loses to gain his objective."

"A general must understand the terrain as well as the hearts of men."

"Know yourself, know your enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories."

"Do not fight a battle if you do not gain anything by winning."

"The wise warrior avoids the battle and wins the war."

"The obstacle is the way."

"A rational man cannot panegyrize irrational customs."

"The more you reflect, the more you understand."

"Misfortune is a great teacher."

"The height of wisdom is to accommodate oneself to circumstances."

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