General Quotes

I never saw a pessimistic general win a battle.

I know he's a good general, but is he lucky?

A general's principal talent consists in knowing the mentality of the soldier and in gaining his confidence.

A general of ordinary talent, occupying a bad position and surprised by a superior force, seeks his safety in retreat; but a great captain supplies all deficiencies by his courage, and marches boldly to meet the attack. By this means he disconcerts his adversary, and if this last shows any irresolution in his movements, a skilful leader, profiting by his indecision, may even hope for victory.

It is often in the audacity, in the steadfastness, of the general that the safety and the conservation of his men is found.

A general-in-chief should never allow any rest either to the conquerors or to the conquered.

I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad soldiers; we will settle this matter by lunch time.

We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people-whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth-is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, and insecure.

Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general the more he contributes in maneuver the less he demands in slaughter.

We have a very daring and skillful opponent against us, and, may I say across the havoc of war, a great general.

Humanity unceasingly strives forward from a lower, more partial and obscure understanding of life to one more general and more lucid.

The top entrusts the understanding of detail to the lower levels, whilst the lower levels credit the top with understanding of the general, and so all are mutually deceived.