Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

Though fraud in all other actions be odious, yet in matters of war it is laudable and glorious, and he who overcomes his enemies by stratagem is as much to be praised as he who overcomes them by force.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

In war, practice dissimulation and you will succeed.

War means fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight. ... To move swiftly, strike vigorously, and secure all the fruits of victory is the secret of successful war.

Should one ask: 'how do I cope with a well-ordered enemy host about to attack me?' I reply: seize something he cherishes and he will conform to your desires.

Never completely encircle your enemy. Leave him some escape, for he will fight even more desperately if trapped.

It seems to me the worst possible concept, militarily, that we would simply stay there, resisting aggression, so-called...it seems to me that the way to "resist aggression" is to destroy the potentialities of the aggressor to continually hit you...When you say, merely, "we are going to continue to fight aggression," that is not what the enemy is fighting for. The enemy is fighting for a very definite purpose-to destroy our forces.

Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy's purpose.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

The conduct of war was so much more interesting than its prevention.

This [a surprise attack] is an operation by no means to be despised in war, although it is rare, and less brilliant than a great strategic combination which renders victory certain even before the battle is fought.

The art of war is like the art of the courtesan; indeed they might be called sisters, since both are slaves of desperation.

Most wars are not won in a single battle.

In real war an officer may have only one chance at succeeding. Consider each problem.

The time has come when we must proceed with the business of carrying the war to the enemy, not permitting the greater portion of our armed forces and our valuable material to be immobilized within the continental United States.

The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

Cutting down the enemy is the way of strategy, and there is no need for many refinements of it.

One cannot be arraigned for declaring a war, which every ruler has to do once in a while, but only for running a war badly.

It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

There was an assumption that aerial bombing of civilians in World War II would cause fragile, working-class people to basically have nervous breakdowns and it would paralyze the state. That was the logic of aerial bombing. In fact, it doesn't happen at all, but the logic behind aerial bombing has never stopped, even though it never demoralizes, terrorizes, or paralyzes a population.

The basic principle that we must follow in directing the armies of the Republic is this: that they must feed themselves on war at the expense of the enemy territory.

In war, indeed, there can be no substitute for victory.

We face the delicate question of the diplomatic fencing to be done so as to be sure Japan is put into the wrong and makes the first bad move. ... The question was how we should maneuver them [the Japanese] into the position of firing the first shot.

War is a lottery in which nations ought to risk nothing but small amounts.