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A victory on the battlefield is of little account if it has not resulted either in breakthrough or encirclement. Though pushed back the enemy will appear again on different ground to renew the resistance he momentarily gave up. The campaign will go on.

— Alfred von Schlieffen

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More quotes by Alfred von Schlieffen

Flank attack is the essence of the whole history of warfare.

A man is born, and not made, a strategist.

When you march into France, let the last man on the right brush the Channel with his sleeve.

It must come to a fight. Only make the right wing strong.

The principles of strategy remain unchanged. The enemy's front is not the objective. The essential thing is to crush the enemy’s flanks...and complete the extermination by attack upon his rear.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Alfred von Schlieffen (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.