Great Throughts Treasury

"The fundamental principle of revolutionary wars: strike to win; strike only when success is certain; if not, then don’t strike."

"What we still don't understand is why you Americans stopped the bombing of Hanoi. You had us on the ropes. If you had pressed us a little harder, just for another day or two, we were ready to surrender! It was the same at the battles of TET. You defeated us! We knew it, and we thought you knew it. But we were elated to notice your media was definitely helping us. They were causing more disruption in America than we could in the battlefields. We were ready to surrender. You had won!"

"Nothing is more precious than freedom."

"Any forces that would impose their will on other nations will most certainly face defeat."

"Talents were like leaves in the autumn, and heroes appeared like the dawn."

"Literature can and must elevate a man's soul."

"The earth bore you here. To bring beauty. The earth bore me here To love you deeply. In love people kiss. The sweetness they would not miss. My heart is passionate for you Still I must go to battle. My love, it is possible That I may die in combat The lips torn there by bullets Might never be kissed [again] by yours. Even if I die, my love, I love you, though I am unable To kiss you with the lips Of a slave."