B. H. Liddell Hart
Born 31 Oct 1895 · Died 29 Jan 1970
Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart (31 October 1895 – 29 January 1970), commonly known throughout most of his career as Captain B. H. Liddell Hart, was a British soldier, military historian and military theorist. He wrote a series of military histories that proved influential among strategists. He argued that frontal assault was a strategy that was bound to fail at great cost in lives as happened in the First World War. He instead recommended the "indirect approach" and reliance on fast-moving armoured formations.
His pre-war publications are known to have influenced German wartime strategy, though he was accused of prompting captured generals to exaggerate his part in the development of blitzkrieg tactics. He also helped promote the Rommel myth and the "clean Wehrmacht" argument for political purposes, when the Cold War necessitated the recruitment of a new West German army.
Source: B. H. Liddell Hart on Wikipedia.
Quotes
“Clausewitz's principle of force without limit and without calculation of cost fits, and is only fit for, a hate-maddened mob. It is the negation of statesmanship—and of intelligent strategy, which seeks to serve the ends of policy.”
p. 122
Quotes from Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0), chosen with AI.
Books by B. H. Liddell Hart in order
Books by B. H. Liddell Hart in the order they were published, from Paris (1925) to The Strategy Of Indirect Approach (2018).
- 1Paris
Paris1925 - 2A Greater Than Napoleon, Scipio Africanus
A Greater Than Napoleon, Scipio Africanus1926 - 3Great Captains Unveiled
Great Captains Unveiled1927 - 4Strategy
Strategy1929 - 5Sherman
Sherman1930 - 6The Real War, 1914-1918
The Real War, 1914-19181930 - 7The British Way in WarfareThe British Way in Warfare1932
- 8'T.E. Lawrence' in Arabia and After
'T.E. Lawrence' in Arabia and After1934 - 9The Future of InfantryThe Future of Infantry1936
- 10Europe in Arms
Europe in Arms1937 - 11Thoughts on WarThoughts on War1944
- 12Why Don't We Learn from History?
Why Don't We Learn from History?1944 - 13The German Generals Talk
The German Generals Talk1948 - 14The Other Side of the Hill
The Other Side of the Hill1948 - 15Defence of the West
Defence of the West1950 - 16General Heinz GuderianGeneral Heinz Guderian1952
- 17The TanksThe Tanks1959
- 18Deterrent or Defense
Deterrent or Defense1960 - 19The History of the Second World War
The History of the Second World War1967 - 20The Red Army
The Red Army1968 - 21History of the First World War
History of the First World War1970 - 22Great Battles of the 20th Century
Great Battles of the 20th Century1983 - 23The Strategy Of Indirect Approach
The Strategy Of Indirect Approach2018 - 24Rommel PaperRommel Paper