Life of Frederick the Great

the king carried on war as no European power has ever carried on war [...] He governed his kingdom as he would have governed a besieged town, not caring to what extent property was destroyed, or the pursuits of civil life suspended [...] The coin was debased, the civil functionaries were left unpaid [...] and, while the means of sustaining and destroying life remained, Frederick was determined to fight it out to the very last. (p. 230)