Top 10 Quotes by Christopher Vokes

Perhaps if Hitler had had the wisdom to withdraw his troops and prepare for the defense of his own country, Germany, despite the loss of face this would entail in the losing of all Italy, then the course of the war, if

Perhaps if Hitler had had the wisdom to withdraw his troops and prepare for the defense of his own country, Germany, despite the loss of face this would entail in the losing of all Italy, then the course of the war, if not the outcome, would have been quite different.

Christopher Vokes

Country, War, Loss

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 133), 1985.

But now I salute you who follow me, It is my time to stand at ease ... content.

Christopher Vokes

Ease, Follow Me, Salute

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 232), 1985.

I wanted people who wouldn't become too worried about casualties. One always should be concerned about casualties, but the risk of incurring casualties can't be allowed to affect decisions, unless it's evident casualties will be prohibitively heavy. There may be no safe way to write this.

Christopher Vokes

Writing, People, Decision

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 76), 1985.

Command is often not what you do but the way you do it.

Christopher Vokes

Yawning, Way, Command

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 184), 1985.

The most important thing, my father told me, which I have never forgotten, and which I have often put unto practice was: If you get into a quarrel with anybody, hit him first. "If you hit first, the battle is half-won," my father always said "Don't let him hit first. You hit him first." "What's more," he never forgot to say, too "Usually one blow is all you need." I found this to be true.

Christopher Vokes

Father, Blow, Practice

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 8), 1985.

I looked for certain attributes in a soldier. I know the modern method is to put the attributes into a computer and see what comes out. But as far as I am concerned, the computer is the worst damn instrument devised by man to screw up man-management.

Christopher Vokes

Men, Soldier, Screw Ups

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 74), 1985.

Generals do not always run wars the way they would like to, nor the troops under them.

Christopher Vokes

Running, War, Troops

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 109), 1985.

I reckon that the Bailey Bridge and the bulldozer were the greatest advances in military engineering in the years between World War I and World War II.

Christopher Vokes

Military, War, Engineering

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 56), 1985.

I believe that one can't command sitting on one's ass in the rear. One has to up among the forward brigade commanders, even as far as battalion commanders, especially if one is fighting a defensive action. One simply has to know what is going on.

Christopher Vokes

Believe, Fighting, Sitting

"Vokes - My Story" by Chris Vokes, John Philip Maclean, (p. 182), 1985.