It is simply not true that war is solely a means to an end, nor do people necessarily fight in order to obtain this objective or that. In fact, the opposite is true: people very often take up one objective or another precisely in order that they may fight.
About Martin van Creveld
Martin Levi van Creveldis an Israeli military historian and theorist.
More quotes from Martin van Creveld
It is simply not true that war is solely a means to an end, nor do people necessarily fight in order to obtain this objective or that. In fact, the opposite is true: people very often take up one objective or another precisely in order that they may fight.
Israeli military historian and theorist
Assuming China does not become destabilized and continues to grow, it will no doubt develop a military program in proportion to its resources.
Israeli military historian and theorist
Except when war is waged in a desert, noncombatants, also known as civilians or “the people,” constitute the great majority of those affected.
Israeli military historian and theorist
As history since Hiroshima shows, the best, perhaps the only, way to curb war is to deter it with such overwhelming force as to turn it from a struggle into suicide.
Israeli military historian and theorist
Sun Tzu does not need my praise. His work has lived for over two thousand years, and will surely live for another two thousand without any help from me.
Israeli military historian and theorist
The enemy resembles us. Therefore, he needs to be approached not as an assembly of ‘targets’ to be destroyed one by one; but as a living, intelligent entity capable of acting and reacting.
Israeli military historian and theorist
In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer.
Israeli military historian and theorist
If you are strong and fighting the weak, then if you kill your opponent then you are a scoundrel… if you let him kill you, then you are an idiot.
Israeli military historian and theorist
The problem is that you cannot prove yourself against someone who is much weaker than yourself.
Israeli military historian and theorist