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About this quote

What does it mean?
Idle troops are wasted resources and are worse than using them wrongly.
In plain terms
Unused forces are wasted.
What can you take from it?
Avoid idling forces; use them efficiently.

Where it applies

  • logistics
  • resource allocation
  • team deployment

Putting it to work

  • assign tasks
  • monitor activity
  • optimize usage

Questions to consider

  • How do you measure efficiency?
  • Why is waste bad?

Another view

Sometimes resting troops is necessary for long-term success.

More from Karl von Clausewitz

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  2. ...any move made in a state of tension will be of more important, and will have more results, than it would have made in a state of eqilibrium. In times of max…

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  3. ...as man under pressure tends to give in to physical and intellectual weakness, only great strength of will can lead to the objective.

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