"Go slow now, go fast later" -- Asian origin?

Posted by Bruce Kahl on July 23, 2001

In Reply to: "Go slow now, go fast later" -- Asian origin? posted by jason on July 23, 2001

: I heard this somewhere and have always liked it. I seem to recall that it was of Asian origin, can anyone confirm this? Thanks jason

It seems it is of German origin as per a half dozen websites on which I found your phrase.

"Your forces are -- you're continuing to fire, you're continuing reconnaissance, refueling. What -- there's an old German saying, "Go slow now, go fast later." Our mission was to attack and destroy the Republican Guards in our sector."
Interview with Tom Clancy
www.salon.com/ june97/clancy3970604.html

"So speed was necessary to get them through to attack the tactical reserve, so the tactical reserve of the Iraqis could not interfere with the enveloping force, so it was all tied together, it was all tied together, so it seemed to us .. there's an old German saying that says, 'go slow now and go fast later....."
Interview with General Franks
www.pbs.org/ wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/oral/franks/3.html

Go slow now;
Go fast later.
---A German Proverb

• "Go slow now, go fast later" -- Asian origin? Markitos 07/31/01