" But those were Frenchmen and you can work out military problems clearly when you are fighting in somebody else's country."
"Yes," I replied, "when it is your own country you can not use it so scientifically."
"The Russians did, to trap Napoleon."
"Yes, but they had plenty of country. If you tried to retreat to trap Napoleon in Italy you would find yourself in Brindiri. "

― Ernest Hemingway , A Farewell to Arms