20th-century Military Leader Quotes

Erwin Rommel

Hermann Göring

Moshe Dayan

Ivan Konev

Otto Skorzeny

David Petraeus

Mikhail Tukhachevsky

NATO plays a significant role in ensuring international security and stability. This fact is proved by the presence of peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan. Cooperation with the Alliance is a priority for Armenia. The IPAP initial 2-year stage is completed. The outcomes will be discussed at the 26+1 NATO session in April. Strategic reconsideration of the security system will start this year.

Mikael Harutyunyan

Character is what you are. Reputation is what others think you are. The reason that some fail to climb the ladder of success, or of leadership if you want to call it that, is that there is a difference between reputation and character. The two do not always coincide. A man may be considered to have sterling chracter. Opportunity might come to that man; but if he has the reputation for something he is not, he may fail that opportunity. I think character is the foundation of successful leadership.

Lucian Truscott

For Guido Farinaro, USMC. These are yours — not mine! With love and respect, your platoon leader. Pete Pace.

To my wife, Kay Sibert, and our children, Robin Helen, Maurene Elizabeth, and Bruce III, who knew full well the life of a military family- And to the men and women who served in Indochina on the side of the Free World.

Bruce Palmer Jr.

I had a role in developing the doctrine From the Sea, which was later modified to Forward From the Sea. But the way we looked at the situation was that the world we live in is a dangerous place. There's a violent peace out there, there are going to be problems over the horizon, and certainly that proved to be true.

Leighton W. Smith, Jr.

I don't think it's racialist. We can't use them if they're a bit stupid.

Stansfield Turner

Nowadays people seem to imagine that impartiality means readiness to treat lies and truth the same, readiness to hold white as bad as black and black as good as white. I, on the contrary, believe that without integrity a man had much better not approach a problem at all. I came here with an open mind and I testify that I have seen. I believe that righteousness exalteth a nation and righteousness does not mean playing off one side against the other while you guard your own interests.

Orde Charles Wingate

First we kill all the subversives; then, their collaborators; later, those who sympathize with them; afterward, those who remain indifferent; and finally, the undecided.

Iberico Saint Jean

If they turn on their radars we're going to blow up their goddamn SAMs [surface-to- air missiles]. They know we own their country. We own their airspace…We dictate the way they live and talk. And that's what's great about America right now. It's a good thing, especially when there's a lot of oil out there we need.

William R. Looney III

At present, there are hundreds of thousands of prisoners in Germany of all nationalities and degrees, partly in camps, but for the most part, however, as workers... The dangers of inter-mixing and bastardizing of our people are extraordinarily grave. They lie to a great extent in the almost unlimited lack of knowledge throughout our nation of the problems of blood.

Günther Pancke

Israel went to extraordinary lengths to limit collateral damage and civilian casualties.

No army in the history of warfare has done more to avoid harming civilians in a combat zone than the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza.

The battle will decide whether Germany is to live or die. Your soldiers must fight hard and ruthlessly. There must be no pity. The enemy must be beaten, now or never. Thus will live our Germany! Forward to and over the Meuse!

It is a really important place to not go, if we can not go there in any way, shape or form.

1. Political officials and leaders are to be liquidated.
2. Insofar as they are captured by the troops, an officer with authority to impose disciplinary punishment decides whether the given individual must be liquidated. For such a decision the fact suffices that he is a political official.
3. Political leaders in the troops (Red Army) are not recognized as prisoners of war and are to be liquidated at the latest in the prisoner-of-war transit camps.

Walter Warlimont

Parachuting has taught us to be strong, and only those are needed by our country

Stanisław Sosabowski

In all my years as a soldier, I have never seen men fight so hard.

Wilhelm Bittrich

I am deeply honored, and genuinely humbled with my selection for Brigadier General. With this promotion, I embrace the opportunity to serve in positions of greater responsibility and to continue to lead the amazing Soldiers in the world's premier Army. While the DoD position is that orientation is a private matter, participating with family in traditional ceremonies such as the promotion is both common and expected of a leader. I was grateful to be surrounded by my family, friends, and co-workers at this special event. Looking at the photos of Tracey's joy as she pins the star on my shoulder is a memory that will imprint my heart forever. Her support keeps me Army Strong.

Retreat Hell! We're just attacking in another direction.

Oliver P. Smith

Although care must be taken not to kill or injure anyone while these persons are being taken into custody, resistance must be broken!

Dear General Petraeus, you should know that I, Qassem Suleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza and Afghanistan. And indeed, the ambassador in Baghdad is a Quds Force member. The individual who's going to replace him is a Quds Force member.

Qasem Soleimani

Think of the 40 years of confrontation. What is it we gained?... The old style has exposed itself: it is fruitless.

Sergei Akhromeyev

Sound opinion is not the exclusive prerogative of those who are paid to give it.

Frederick E. Morgan

The survival of this country depends upon letting the world know we have the power and the ability to use it if the occasion demands.

Forrest Sherman

It's so long ago now. Even I don't know the truth. If I had ever known it, I have long forgotten it. All I know is that I took the blame as a good CO should have been and was punished accordingly.