The Downfall Of Civilized States Tends To

It Is Only To Clear From History That States Rarely Keep Faith With Each Other, Save In So Far (and So Long) As Their Promises Seem To Them To Combine With Their Interests.

Vitality Springs From Diversity -- Which Makes For Real Progress So Long As There Is Mutual Toleration, Based On The Recognition That Worse May Come From An Attempt To Suppress Differences Than From Acceptance Of Them. For This Reason, The Kind Of Peace That Makes Progress Possible Is Best Assured By The Mutual Checks Created By A Balance Of Forces-alike In The Sphere Of Internal Politics And Of International Relations.

To Ensure Attaining An Objective, One Should Have Alternate Objectives. An Attack That Converges On One Point Should Threaten, And Be Able To Diverge Against Another. Only By This Flexibility Of Aim Can Strategy Be Attuned To The Uncertainty Of War.

War Is Always A Matter Of Doing Evil In The Hope That Good May Come Of It.

While There Are Many Causes For Which A State Goes To War, Its Fundamental Object Can Be Epitomized As That Of Ensuring The Continuance Of Its Policy - In Face Of The Determination Of The Opposing State To Pursue A Contrary Policy. In The Human Will Lies The Source And Mainspring Of Conflict.