"A nation, to be successful, should change its tactics every ten years.
"-Napoleon"
We do not need to ask who Napoleon was although we can always google for details. I also googled this quotation but all that I found was Poul Anderson quoting it.
What does Napoleon mean? That a nation engaged in military and imperialist adventures should confuse its enemies by regularly changing its tactics? I think that a nation attempting to do good at home and abroad should pursue beneficial policies for as long as necessary and should change its tactics only when necessary.
I have yet to reread After Doomsday and thus to discover how this quotation is relevant to Chapter Ten.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I think a reasonable interpretation of what Napoleon allegedly said here is that a wise nation takes care to keep its armed forces up to date and its civil and military leaders both strategically and tactically flexible. That is simply the sensible thing to do in a quarrelsome and contentious world!
As for really small and, frankly, helpless nations like Andorra, they will have to depend on the forbearance of larger, more powerful neighbors.
Sean
That remark of Napoleon is actually a paraphrase of a poem of Alcman, addressed to the Spartans, advising them to be cautious about fighting the same enemy too often, lest the enemy learn Spartan tactics and how to counter them.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And I agree with Alcman and Napoleon! Tactical flexibility and innovation is necessary.
Sean
Post a Comment