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Sire, I am my own Rudolph of Hapsburg.
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Never awake me when you have good news to announce, because with good news nothing presses; but when you have bad news, arouse me immediately, for then there is not an instant to be lost.
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War justifies everything.
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In my youth I, too, entertained some illusions; but I soon recovered from them.
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Medicine is a collection of uncertain prescriptions, the results of which, taken collectively, are more fatal than useful to mankind.
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You do not get peace by shouting: Peace. Peace is a meaningless word; what we need is a glorious peace.
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God has given me the will and the force to overcome all obstacles.
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An army travels on its stomach. Soup makes the soldier.
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Unavailable wars are always just.
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I see only my objective - the obstacles must give way.
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One bad general is worth two good ones.
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Passions change, politics are immutable.
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The worse the troops the greater the need of artillery.
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Ambition never is in a greater hurry that I; it merely keeps pace with circumstances and with my general way of thinking.
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As a rule it is circumstances that make men.
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To make yourself understood to people, one must first speak to their eyes.
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Machiavelli is right: one always must live with one's friends with the idea that they may turn into one's enemies. He should have said, with everyone.
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Good infantry is without doubt the sinews of an army; but if it has to fight a long time against very superior artillery, it will become demoralized and will be destroyed.
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Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.
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The purely defensive is doomed to defeat.
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If we could read the past histories of all our enemies we would disregard all hostility for them.
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The only true conquests-those that awaken no regrets- are those obtained over our ignorance.
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France will always be a great nation.
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The strong are good, only the weak are wicked.