“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in battle.”
“Any soldier worth his salt should be antiwar; and still there are things worth fighting for.”
“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without strategy.”
“A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.”
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
“Study the past if you would define the future.”
“A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.”
“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .”
“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in.”
“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
“Don’t hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft!”
“The best defense is a confusing offense.”
“Sometimes, if your opponent is determined to win the battle, let him win the wrong battle.”
“If your enemy has the power to see into the future, make sure you are the author of that future.”
“The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.”
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. ”
“He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.”
“If your opponent is better armed and has longer reach, then surprise is your only ally. And then you’d better hope he’s half asleep.”
“Don’t exploit your enemy’s weakness, for he may have none.
Exploit his passions and the battle is yours.”
“The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.”