Alex Haley Quotes

It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, defend against them; if weaker, be able to avoid them.

GSP knows how to use a lot of strategy.

And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.

With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

This high proportion of history's decisive campaigns, the significance of which is enhanced by the comparative rarity of the direct approach, enforces the conclusion that the indirect is by far the most hopeful and economic form of strategy.

Where absolute superiority is not attainable, you must produce a relative one at the decisive point by making skillful use ofwhat you have.

Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuvering for advantageous positions.

The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few.

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.

A battle can be won before it's ever fought by choosing the right ground.

Opportunity in war is usually of greater value than bravery... Terrain is often of more value than bravery... Bravery is of more value than numbers.

Luck is of little moment to the great general, for it is under the control of his intellect and his judgment.

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

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.

You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.

Give the enemy not only a road for flight, but also a means of defending it.

I had my own battle tactics.

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.

By fighting a limited, defensive war, America permitted the enemy to endlessly re-supply their field armies.

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

Military men predominated and gave no thought to the larger situation. They knew how to advance but not how to retreat.

The enemy advances, we retreat. The enemy camps, we harass. Th enemy tires, we attack. The enemy retreats, we pursue.

What matters in the Sun-tzu universe are not positions of strength and power, but situations in which you have options, full of potential force.

Just as sports teams recognize the potentially game-changing benefit of calling time-outs, failing to do so in matters of warfare is a surefire way to continue losing.

Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.