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The whole art of war consists in getting at what is on the other side of the hill.
Duke Of Wellington
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The essence of strategy in warfare is understanding your opponent and their position.

This quote by the Duke Of Wellington emphasizes the importance of knowledge and reconnaissance in achieving success in warfare. It suggests that the ability to anticipate and understand the enemy's actions is crucial, akin to knowing what lies beyond a barrier, such as a hill, which can determine the outcome of a conflict.

Themes

StrategyWarKnowledgeReconnaissanceSuccess

In practice

Example use cases

In a military training session, a commander might quote this to emphasize the need for intelligence on enemy positions.

More from Duke Of Wellington

There is no mistake; there has been no mistake; and there shall be no mistake.
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All the business of war, and indeed all the business of life, is to endeavour to find out what you don't know by what you do; that's what I called 'guess what was at the other side of the hill'.
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Nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.
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Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle gained.
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Next to a lost battle, nothing is so sad as a battle that has been won.
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Be discreet in all things, and so render it unnecessary to be mysterious about any.
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