Quotes by Carl von Clausewitz with war

Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz

Prussian general and military theorist

Lived from: 1780 - 1831

Category: Politics | Scientists Country: FlagGermany

Born: 1 june 1780 Died: 16 november 1831

  • All action takes place, so to speak, in a kind of twilight, which like a fog or moonlight, often tends to make things seem grotesque and larger than they really are.
  • Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.
  • Our discussion has shown that while in war many different roads can lead to the goal, to the attainment of the political object, fighting is the only possible means.
  • Two qualities are indispensable: first, an intellect that, even in the darkest hour, retains some glimmerings of the inner light which leads to truth; and second, the courage to follow this faint light wherever it may lead.
  • Where execution is dominant, as it is in the individual events of a war whether great or small, then intellectual factors are reduced to a minimum.
  • Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.
  • In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards.
  • As man under pressure tends to give in to physical and intellectual weakness, only great strength of will can lead to the objective.
  • Boldness will be at a disadvantage only in an encounter with deliberate caution, which may be considered bold in its own right, and is certainly just as powerful and effective; but such cases are rare.
  • Phillipsburg was the name of one those badly drawn fortresses resembling a fool with his nose too close to the wall.
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Quotes 1 till 20 of 25.

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  • Action in war is like movement in a resistant element. Just as the simplest and most natural of movements, walking, cannot easily be performed in water, so in war it is difficult for normal efforts to achieve even moderate results.
    On War (1832) Ch. 7, as translated by Michael Howard and Peter P
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • If defense is the stronger form of war, yet has a negative object, it follows that it should be used only so long as weakness compels, and be abandoned as soon as we are strong enough to pursue a positive object.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • In war, the advantages and disadvantages of a single action could only be determined by the final balance.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • Knowledge in war is very simple, being concerned with so few subjects, and only with their final results at that. But this does not make its application easy.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • Only the element of chance is needed to make war a gamble, and that element is never absent.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • Our discussion has shown that while in war many different roads can lead to the goal, to the attainment of the political object, fighting is the only possible means.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • Surprise becomes effective when we suddenly face the enemy at one point with far more troops than he expected. This type of numerical superiority is quite distinct from numerical superiority in general: it is the most powerful medium in the art of war.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing practical to alter or deflect the impulse to destroy the enemy, which is central to the very idea of war.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation form their purposes.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation from their purposes.
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • The state of crisis is the real war; the equilibrium is nothing but its reflex.
    On War (1832)
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • To introduce into the philosophy of War itself a principle of moderation would be an absurdity.
    On War (1832) Ch. 1, Section 3, Paragraph 3
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • War is a continuation of policy by other means. It is not merely a political act but a real political instrument.
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • War Is Merely the Continuation of Policy by Other Means
    We see, therefore, that war is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse carried on with other means. What remains peculiar to war is simply the peculiar nature of its means.
    On War (1832) Ch. 1, Section 24, in the Princeton University Pre
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means.
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • War is not merely a political act but a real political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse, a carrying out of the same by other means.
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • War is regarded as nothing but the continuation of state policy with other means.
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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  • War is such a dangerous business that mistakes that come from kindness are the very worst.
    On War (1832) Ch. 1, Section 3, Paragraph 1
    ― Carl von Clausewitz
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What are the most famous quotes from Carl von Clausewitz?

The two most famous quotes from Carl von Clausewitz are:

  • "Action in war is like movement in a resistant element. Just as the simplest and most natural of movements, walking, cannot easily be performed in water, so in war it is difficult for normal efforts to achieve even moderate results."
  • "If defense is the stronger form of war, yet has a negative object, it follows that it should be used only so long as weakness compels, and be abandoned as soon as we are strong enough to pursue a positive object."

When did Carl von Clausewitz live?

Carl von Clausewitz was born in 1780 and died in the year 1831.