Introduction Principles of war are rules and guidelines that represent truths in the practice of war and military operations. The earliest known principles of war were documented by Sun Tzu, circa 500 BCE, as well as Chanakya in his Arthashastra circa 350BCE. Machiavelli published his “General Rules” in 1521 which were themselves modeled on Vegetius’… Read More
“A study of the principles of war will never provide a mathematical or intellectual formula for winning wars; but it will ensure that no single factor is omitted when one principle is being balanced against another. The decision itself is a test of leadership. Study provides the materials for inspection; the choice depends upon the… Read More
“In an word, a good officer realizes that his men will follow his judgment if they are convinced that he too is prepared to risk his life in their defense.” Richard A. Gabriel and Paul L. Savage (1978) Crisis in Command: Mismanagement in the Army
“The best and most influential military work was Bingfa (The Art of War), a short book by Sun Zi (Sun Tzu). His strategies dominate the thirteen chapters, and his goal, winning the battle, underlies the whole book. The Art of War is the first important work on strategy and theory in world military history. Michael… Read More
“A leader is a man who can adapt principles to circumstances.” George S. Patton Jr (1885 to 1945) George Smith Patton Junior was a US Army officer. He was an outstanding practitioner of mobile tank warfare in the European and Mediterranean theatres during World War II. His strict discipline, toughness, and self-sacrifice elicited exceptional pride… Read More
“In maneuver warfare, we attempt not to destroy the entire enemy force but to render most of it irrelevant.” Robert R. Leonhard (1870 to 1924) Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Leonhard, Ph.D. is a retired US Army officer and is a research analyst at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He is the author of… Read More
“Men have died in torture chambers, on the stake, in concentration camps, in front of firing squads, rather than renounce their convictions. The appeaser renounces his under the pressure of a frown on a vacant face.” Ayn Rand (1905 to 1982) Ayn Rand, original name Alissa Zinovievna Rosenbaum, was a Russian-born American writer whose commercially… Read More
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