Paul Virilio Quotes

The Chinese general Sun Tzu said that all war was based on deception. Oscar Wilde said the same thing of romance.

Strategy is the most important department of the art of war, and strategical skill is the highest and rarest function of military genius.

Writing books for me is anyway much like a military campaign. I confess to fighting my way through with military metaphors. There is a strategy, an overall concept, and there are tactics along the way…Tradition would say I was a 'child of Mars.'

You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

War is always a struggle in which each contender tries to annihilate the other. Besides using force, they will have recourse to all possible tricks and stratagems to achieve the goal.

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.

Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.

Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.

Our national aims can be realized only by military means. The matter needs no further elaboration or interpretation.

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

There is no area where experience matters more than in war and diplomacy.

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

There is nothing that a military machine can do to work a miracle.

Ponder and deliberate before you make your move. He will conquer who has learned the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering.

So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.

To mislead a rival, deception is permissable; one may use all means against his enemies.

At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you.

Men, I am not ordering you to attack. I am ordering you to die. In the time that it takes us to die, other forces and commanders can come and take our place.

In war, practice dissimulation and you will succeed.

Der Krieg ist nichts als eine Fortsetzung des politischen Verkehrs mit Einmischung anderer Mittel. War is merely the continuation of policy with the admixture of other means.

So a military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape: the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.

If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains.

Machination is worth more than force.

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.