Quotes About Leadership

Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across a barnyard, not half of them get there.

We need a commander in chief not a professor of law standing at a lectern - the lectern.

War is a bankruptcy of policy

According to my assessment, even if you have many more troops than others, how can that help you to victory?

I have condemned any organizer of war, regardless of his rank or nationality.

The one who figures on victory at headquarters before even doing battle is the one who has the most strategic factors on his side.

Carefully study the well-being of your men, and do not overtax them. Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength. Keep your army continually on the move, and devise unfathomable plans.

The defense policy of the United States is based on a simple premise: The United States does not start fights. We will never be an aggressor.

There are certain things in war of which the commander alone comprehends the importance. Nothing but his superior firmness and ability can subdue and surmount all difficulties.

Politics is more dangerous than war, for in war you are only killed once.

I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.

Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object

If all do not join now to save the good old ship of the Union this voyage nobody will have a chance to pilot her on another voyage.

I personally hold Blair more responsible for this war than I do George Bush. The reason is, Blair knows better, Blair is not an idiot. What is he doing hanging around this guy?

The sinews of war are not gold, but good soldiers; for gold alone will not procure good soldiers, but good soldiers will always procure gold.

One bad general is worth two good ones.

The mind of a general ought to resemble and be as clear as the field-glass of a telescope.

If there is not the war, you don't get the great general; if there is not a great occasion, you don't get a great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in a time of peace, no one would have known his name.

Without doubt, ferocious and disordered men are much weaker than timid and ordered ones. For order chases fear from men and disorder lessens ferocity.

One cannot be arraigned for declaring a war, which every ruler has to do once in a while, but only for running a war badly.

What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance.

Wars are fought by teenagers, you realize that. They really ought to be fought by the politicians and old people who start these wars.

Hillary [Clinton] is - you know, she's every bit as much scary on war as Donald Trump is.

Only a fool or a fraud talks tough or romantically about war.