Excerpts From a General's Diary
This topic was created in the Scorpio forum by Gaurav_Aries on Monday, February 5, 2007 and has 6 replies.
Generalfeldmarschall Helmuth, Graf von Moltke (known as Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke before 1870) (October 26, 1800 ? April 24, 1891), was a German Field Marshal, thirty years chief of the staff of the Prussian army, widely regarded as one of the great strategists of the latter half of the 1800s, and the creator of a new, more modern method, of directing armies in the field.
Moltke's Theory of War:
A disciple of Clausewitz, whose theory of war was more an effort to grasp its essential nature, rather than of Jomini, who expounded a system of rules, Moltke regarded strategy as a practical art of adapting means to ends, and had developed the methods of Napoleon in accordance with altered conditions of his age. He had been the first to realize the great defensive power of modern firearms.
Moltke's main thesis was that military strategy had to be understood as a system of options since only the beginning of a military operation was plannable. As a result, he considered the main task of military leaders to consist in the extensive preparation of all possible outcomes. His thesis can be summed up by two statements, one famous and one less so, translated into English as No battle plan survives contact with the enemy and War is a matter of expedients.
However, as can be seen from the descriptions of his planning for the war with Austria and the war with France, his planning for war was very detailed and took into account thousands of variables. It is a mistake to think that Moltke thought war plans were of no use (which a simple reading of "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy" would seem to indicate).
Behind the Prussian field victories lay the organizing genius of Moltke, whose professionalism in such matters as transport administration, supply, reinforcement, and intelligence utterly crushed the outdated military of France.
He had a tall spare figure,- and in his latter years his tanned features had received a set expression which was at once hard and grand. He was habitually taciturn and reserved, though a most accomplished linguist, so that it was said of him that he was silent in seven languages. The stern school of his early life had given him a rare self-control, so that no indiscreet or unkind expression is known to have ever fallen from him. Long before his name was on the lips of the public he was known in the army and in the staff as the man of gold, the ideal character whom every one admired and who had no enemies.
Moltke's Theory of War:
A disciple of Clausewitz, whose theory of war was more an effort to grasp its essential nature, rather than of Jomini, who expounded a system of rules, Moltke regarded strategy as a practical art of adapting means to ends, and had developed the methods of Napoleon in accordance with altered conditions of his age. He had been the first to realize the great defensive power of modern firearms.
Moltke's main thesis was that military strategy had to be understood as a system of options since only the beginning of a military operation was plannable. As a result, he considered the main task of military leaders to consist in the extensive preparation of all possible outcomes. His thesis can be summed up by two statements, one famous and one less so, translated into English as No battle plan survives contact with the enemy and War is a matter of expedients.
However, as can be seen from the descriptions of his planning for the war with Austria and the war with France, his planning for war was very detailed and took into account thousands of variables. It is a mistake to think that Moltke thought war plans were of no use (which a simple reading of "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy" would seem to indicate).
Behind the Prussian field victories lay the organizing genius of Moltke, whose professionalism in such matters as transport administration, supply, reinforcement, and intelligence utterly crushed the outdated military of France.
He had a tall spare figure,- and in his latter years his tanned features had received a set expression which was at once hard and grand. He was habitually taciturn and reserved, though a most accomplished linguist, so that it was said of him that he was silent in seven languages. The stern school of his early life had given him a rare self-control, so that no indiscreet or unkind expression is known to have ever fallen from him. Long before his name was on the lips of the public he was known in the army and in the staff as the man of gold, the ideal character whom every one admired and who had no enemies.
LOL...Notso that was for the learned like Yama and a few others.
"I am quite intelligent, thank you very much. "
Yeah U must be. Perhaps not an interesting topic for U.
Yeah U must be. Perhaps not an interesting topic for U.
Absolutely not.
"typical scorp using leo ideas ."
Pfft, Napoleon used Maurice of Nassau's ideas, so I'd say we're even.
btw-is this the von Moltke who's famous for only laughing twice in his life? If so, I bet he had some serious Capricorn/Virgo influences.
Pfft, Napoleon used Maurice of Nassau's ideas, so I'd say we're even.
btw-is this the von Moltke who's famous for only laughing twice in his life? If so, I bet he had some serious Capricorn/Virgo influences.
OK guys dont fight...The "ideas" start with Aries and then get percolated/cascaded. And we dont take any credit for that ...We are here for that purpose only 
Yama I dont know about that aspect about Moltke's life and the write-up just confirmed my observation that Scorpio natives have a knack for strategy.
Yama I dont know about that aspect about Moltke's life and the write-up just confirmed my observation that Scorpio natives have a knack for strategy.
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