Douglas MacArthur Quotes

First and foremost my obligation is on the defensive side. But obviously there are times when I need to go and attack, too.

The prevent defense prevents victory.

One may know how to gain a victory, and know not how to use it.

The idea that a war can be won by standing on the defensive and waiting for the enemy to attack is a dangerous fallacy, which owes its inception to the desire to evade the price of victory.

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

Wars are fought for political considerations. Military victory alone is never enough

Let us understand each other. I have come to you from the West, where we have always seen the backs of our enemies; from an army whose business it has been to seek the adversary and to beat him when he was found, whose policy has been attack and not defense.... Meantime, I desire you to dismiss from your minds certain phrases, which I am sorry to find so much in vogue amongst you. I hear constantly of ‘taking strong positions and holding them,’ of ‘lines of retreat,’ and of ‘bases of supplies.’ Let us discard such ideas.... Let us study the probable lines of retreat of our opponents, and leave our own to take care of themselves. Let us look before us, and not behind. Success and glory are in the advance, disaster and shame lurk in the rear.

We bring the fight to the enemy so that they don't bring it to us.

If you are armed with knowledge, if you are aware that certain dynamics are at play then you have options. You can play defense, you can ignore certain person and take the consequences perhaps with a game plan in mind and it goes on, you've increased your options.

War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision. In war there is no substitute for victory.

President Bush said the other day the war is not about timetables. It's about winning. Hey, it worked in Florida.

According to my assessment, even if you have many more troops than others, how can that help you to victory?

We confuse activity with progress, and that's always dangerous, especially in war.

The best way to attack is to defend well.

This is something that baffles me about managers: if you know the formation that you will revert to if you are in trouble, why not start with it?

Teams that just play on one side of the floor are going to struggle against defenses that load up on that side.

We have to let our defense dictate our offense.

If you have a defensive concept, you're going to play defense. If you don't have a defensive concept, and you have an offensive concept, then you're going to play offense.

To score three goals and not concede any is always interesting for a coach.

To think about attacking is also to think about positioning.

It's all about being sharp and not taking too much damage. That's always the game plan.

I think that my offense comes from what I do with my defense.

The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the shuai-jan is a snake that is found in the Ch'ang mountains. Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.

It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see the outward aspects, none understands the way in which I have created victory.