from "On War", books 1 and 2, by Von Clausewitz

"War, therefore, is an act of violence intended to compel our opponent to fulfill our will."
Desi: Note that Von Clausewitz narrows the role of war quite a bit in his works.  

"In such dangerous things as War, the errors which proceed from a spirit of benevolence are the worst... [the combatant] who uses force unsparingly, without reference to the bloodshed involved, must obtain a superiority if his adversary uses less vigor in its application.  The former then dictates the law to the latter... it is to no purpose, it is even against one's own interest, to turn away from the consideration of the real nature of the affair because the horror of its elements excites repugnance."

"War is... a wonderful trinity, composed of the original violence of its elements, hatred and animosity, which may be looked upon as blind instinct; of the play of probabilities and chance, which make it a free activity of the soul; and of the subordinate nature of a political instrument, by which it belongs purely to the reason."

"...War... cannot be considered as at an end as long as the will of the enemy is not subdued also..."

when to sue for peace: "The first is the improbability, the second is the excessive price, of success."

"War must always set itself free from the strict law of logical necessity, and seek aid from the calculation of probabilities..." AB: Clausewitz goes on - at length - to say that low levels of national intensity or passion (i.e. support for the war) increase the importance of chance in determining whether to start or continue a contest.  

"Every activity in War, therefore, necessarily relates to the combat either directly or indirectly.  The soldier is levied, clothed, armed, exercised, he sleeps, eats, drinks, and marches, all MERELY TO FIGHT AT THE RIGHT TIME AND PLACE."  AB: the original "begin with the end in mind." 

"Every special calling in life, if it is to be followed with success, requires peculiar qualifications of understanding and soul.  Where these are of a high order, and manifest themselves by extraordinary achievements, the mind to which they belong is termed Genius."

"As the forces in one individual after another become prostrated, and can no longer be excited and supported by an efforts of his own will, the whole inertia of the mass gradually rests its weight on the Will of the Commander...As long as his men full of good courage fight with zeal and spirit, it is seldom necessary for the Chief to show great energy of purpose in the pursuit of his object.  But as soon as difficulties arise - and that must always happen when great results are at stake - then things no longer move on of themselves like a well-oiled machine..." AB: Clausewitz goes on to say - at length - that this is when the Will of the Commander becomes paramount


"Truth alone is but a weak motive of action with men, and hence there is always a great difference between knowing and action..."

The kind of personality that excels at Generalship: "...searching rather than inventive minds, comprehensive minds rather than such as have a special bent, cool rather than fiery heads, are to which.... we should prefer to trust our welfare..."

"In a few words, most reports are false, and the timidity of men acts as a multiplier of lies and untruths." 

"War is a constant state of reciprocal action, the effects of which are mutual."

"Courage... is a feeling, like fear; the latter looks to the physical preservation, courage to the moral preservation."

"...between theory and practice there shall no longer be that absurd difference which an unreasonable theory, in defiance of common sense, has often produced, but which, just as often, narrow-mindedness and ignorance have used as a pretext for giving way to their natural incapacity." 

"The critical consideration.... which are the effects peculiar to the means applied, and whether these effects were comprehended in the plans of the person directing?"