Desire Nisard Quotes

A general is just as good or just as bad as the troops under his command make him.

Every sentence spoken by Napoleon, and every line of his writing, deserves reading, as it is the sense of France.

'm a general, I do something. I go out and fight wars and win them.

I used to say of Napoleon that his presence on the field made the difference of forty thousand men.

One mediocre general is better than two good ones.

Only those generals who gain successes can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship.

Very few men occupy themselves with the higher problems of war...when they arrive at the command of armies they are totally ignorant, and, in default of knowing what should be done, they do what they know.

Thanks to General Petraeus, our leadership and the sacrifice of brave young Americans. To deny that their sacrifice didn't make possible the success of the surge in Iraq, I think does a great disservice...the progress has been immense.

The Maid and her soldiers will have the victory. Therefore the Maid is willing that you, Duke of Bedford, should not destroy yourself.

Great commanders write their actions with simplicity; because they receive more glory from facts than from words.

Napoleon wanted his generals to be lucky. I don't think he would have worked with me.

Virtually everything I learned about leadership traits and core values, I learned in the Marine Corps. To this day, I keep a list of the traits in a little black book, 14 of them, including integrity, justice, bearing, enthusiasm, endurance - all indicators you aspire to when you're a leader.

As commander-in-chief, I will do whatever it takes to defend America. But in defending America, we cannot lose what America stands for.

No leader, however great, can long continue unless he wins battles. The battle decides all.

My advice is: 1. Be judicious in the use of military force. 2. When military force is required, use overwhelming force. 3. Do not micromanage military leaders. 4. Ensure your battle plans will win the conflict and win the peace.

If officers desire to have control over their commands, they must remain habitually with them, industriously attend to their instruction and comfort, and in battle lead them well.

The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: - let such a one be dismissed!

It takes more courage to send men into battle than to fight the battle yourself.

Strategy was first used in Athens (508 BC) to describe the art of leadership used by the ten generals on the war council. Some argue for the more creative, human side, while others argue for the more analytic side of strategy.

No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.

A prince must not have any objective nor any thought, nor take up any art, other than the art of war and its ordering and discipline; because it is the only art that pertains to him who commands. And it is of such virtue that not only does it maintain those who were born princes, but many times makes men rise to that rank from private station.

We should ask our commanders..." Elayne trailed off. "If there are any we trust not to be under Compulsion." "There's only one," Mat said grimly, meeting her eyes. "And he's telling you we are finished if we continue as we have. The earlier plan was a good enough one, but after what we lost today...Elayne, we're dead unless we choose one place to stand, gather together, and fight." One last toss of the dice.

The greatest commander is he whose intuitions most nearly happen.

Often times the best military leaders were soldiers.

You're gonna get what's good, you're gonna get what the generals and what the admirals and what - and the enlisted and they'll - we'll get together, we wanna get the right stuff.