Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Quotes

9 Sourced Quotes

Perpetual peace is a dream, and it is not even a beautiful dream. War is an element in the order of the world ordained by God. In it the noblest virtues of mankind are developed; courage and the abnegation of self, faithfulness to duty, and a spirit of sacrifice: the soldier gives his life. Without war the world would stagnate, and lose itself in materialism.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Everlasting peace is a dream, and not even a pleasant one; and war is a necessary part of God's arrangement of the world.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
No plan of operations reaches with any certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy's main force.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
A war, even the most victorious, is a national misfortune.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
The fate of every nation rests in its own power.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Strategy is a system of expedients; it is more than a mere scholarly discipline. It is the translation of knowledge to practical life, the improvement of the original leading thought in accordance with continually changing situations.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
War is a necessary part of God's arrangement of the world…Without war the world would deteriorate into materialism.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
We may add that the Poland of the fifteenth century was one of the most civilised states of Europe.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
The tactical result of an engagement forms the base for new strategic decisions because victory or defeat in a battle changes the situation to such a degree that no human acumen is able to see beyond the first battle. In this sense one should understand Napoleon's saying: "I have never had a plan of operations."
Therefore no plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder