Fight on and fly on to the last drop of blood and the last drop of fuel, to the last beat of the heart.
Manfred Von RichthofenRead
I started shooting when I was much too far away. That was merely a trick of mine. I did not mean so much as to hit him as to frighten him, and I succeeded in catching him. He began flying curves and this enabled me to draw near.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the idea that sometimes strategic fear can be used to influence behavior.
In this quote, Manfred Von Richthofen reveals a tactical approach he employed during aerial combat. Instead of aiming to hit his target directly, he aimed to instill fear, which caused his opponent to make erratic maneuvers, ultimately allowing Richthofen to close the distance and gain an advantage. This emphasizes the importance of strategy over brute force in achieving one's objectives.
Themes
FearStrategyTacticsCombatAerialInfluence
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech on military strategy, one might quote this to emphasize the value of psychological tactics.
More from Manfred Von Richthofen
All quotes →Of course, with the increasing number of aeroplanes one gains increased opportunities for shooting down one's enemies, but at the same time, the possibility of being shot down one's self increases.
Manfred Von RichthofenRead
If I should come out of this war alive, I will have more luck than brains.
Manfred Von RichthofenRead
My dear Excellency! I have not gone to war to collect cheese and eggs, but for another purpose.
Manfred Von RichthofenRead
Now I am within thirty yards of him. He must fall. The gun pours out its stream of lead. Then it jams. Then it reopens fire. That jam almost saved his life.
Manfred Von RichthofenRead
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