“He who is prepared has his battle half fought…” Miguel de Cervantes (in Don Quixote, 1615) The full quote states “He who is prepared has his battle half fought; nothing is lost by my preparing myself, for I know by experience that I have enemies, visible and invisible, and I know not when, or where, or… Read More
“To be defeated is pardonable; to be surprised – never!” Napoleon Bonaparte (Maxims of War, 1831) (Kiley, 2005) Reference Kiley, K. (2005) Thumbing through the Napoleonic Wars: The Words of Napoleon and Others Who May Have Influenced His Methods. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/napoleon/c_quotes.html. [Accessed: 07 August, 2016].
“It is a bad plan that cannot be altered.” Publilius Syrus(85 BC to 43 BC) was a Latin writer, best known for his Sententiae. He was a Syrian who was brought to Italy as a slave, but by his wit and talent he won the favour of his master, who freed and educated him. Alternatives include:… Read More
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Henry Ford (1863 to 1947), an American industrialist, founder of the Ford Motor Company and the sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production (which had a subsequent impact on the mass production of military hardware).
“Never fight when you can’t win. Never fight when it’s not worth winning. Never fight for anger alone.” Unknown
“I am more afraid of our own mistakes than of our enemies’ designs.” Pericles (Greek Statesman, Orator & General) in a speech to the Athenian Ecclesia I, 432 B.C. Reference Jowett, B. (1900) Pericles To The Athenian Ecclesia I. Thucydides: The Jowett Translation. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.classicpersuasion.org/pw/thucydides/thucydides-passages.php?pleaseget=1.140-1.144&passageid=Pericles%20To%20The%20Athenian%20Ecclesia%20I. [Accessed: 31 July, 2016].
“Good tactics not only leave your enemy defeated, but confused!” General Al Gray (29th Commandant of the US Marine Corps, 1987-1991).
Boot Camp & Military Fitness Institute 