I am grateful to Bill Murphy Jr. for gathering dozens of quotations from great military leaders throughout history. Here are eight of Bill’s:

“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” General Dwight D. Eisenhower

“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” Alexander the Great

“The Nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.” Thucydides, Greek historian

“The most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.” General Colin Powell

“A passion for life is contagious and uplifting. Passion cuts both ways… I want to create passion in my own life and with those I care for. I want to feel, experience and live every emotion. I will suffer through the bad for the heights of the good.” Pat Tillman, football star who joined the Army Rangers after 9/11 and was killed in action in Afghanistan

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Abraham Lincoln

“Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.” Colonel David Hackworth

“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” George Orwell

I presume to add four of my own personal favorites:

“Every battle is won or lost before it is fought.” Sun Tzu

“It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.” Julius Caesar

“War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.” William Tecumseh Sherman

“They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29:1. They can’t get away from us now!” USMC General Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller

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Bill Murphy Jr. is executive editor of operations, Some Spider, and founder, ProGhostwriters.com.