Clausewitz, a fascinating thinker, approaches his subject with wit and clarity. Implicate in each theory are the qualities and abilities that create the most effective. He joined the russian army to fight against the french invasion of russia. Autor do livro da guerra, foi um estrategista e teorico da guerra.
Princeton university press, 1984, particularly if you are using this book for your scholarly or research work. If you are interested in clausewitz, and the ongoing value of his classic book, the clausewitz roundtable will be of interest to you. The clausewitz bookstore is a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to. No student of influence should be without this historic philosophy book on leadership. On war has become one of the most respected classics on military strategy.
On war is required reading for midgrade us military officers and a common reference and discussion point for operational and strategic analysis. Returning to prussia, he assisted in the reform of the prussian army and state. Leadership in sun tzu, machiavelli and clausewitz 02 september 2007 james williams introduction military theory provides a definition for war as well as methods and systems for how to wage it in the most effective way. Clausewitz is a touchstone for the field today, and is read by scholars, students, and. Clausewitz was born on june 1, 1780 in the kingdom of prussia to a lower middleclass family. Free of technical jargon, and suitable for modern readers. This biography offers detailed information about his life, career, childhood and timeline. War is regarded as nothing but the continuation of state policy with other means. His study on war was described by the american strategic thinker bernard brodie as not simply the greatest, but the only great book about war. On war is perhaps the greatest book ever written about war. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers. Clausewitz was held prisoner in france from 1807 to 1808. Clausewitzs conception of war is strikingly unique.
The 197684 howardparet version is the standard translation today. This volume of on war includes topics of the nature, theory, and strategy of war and combat. Since the works first appearance in 1832, it has been read throughout the world, and has stimulated generations of soldiers, statesmen, and. Never forget that no military leader has ever become great without audacity. Not simply the greatest but the only truly great book on war, declared historian bernard brodie of principles of war. Kindhearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. His response was to write a comprehensive text covering every aspect of warfare. The woman behind the making of on war and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. On war is the most significant attempt in western history to understand war, both in its internal dynamics and as an instrument of policy. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Boldness governed by superior intellect is the mark of a hero. The discussion was lively, thoughtful and insightful. However, grahams edition only contains the first four books of the work. Published in 1832, a year after his death, on war is regarded by military experts even today as the definitive study of warfare.
June 1, 1780 november 16, 1831 was a prussian soldier and german military theorist who stressed the moral and political aspects of war. His ideas remain widely taught in military schools, and are, more than ever, essential to the modern strategist. Graham translation of clausewitz s vom kriege 1832 published in london in 1873. Nonetheless, gatzke praised the book of principles, saying that like nothing else. Kindhearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat the enemy without too much bloodshed, and might imagine this is the true goal of. Militar prusiano burg, magdeburgo, 1780 breslau, silesia, 1831. We offer this service, not for profit any proceeds go to defray the costs of maintaining this website but as a convenient way for users to track. He was a professional soldier but his legacy is that of a military strategist and theorist. Selfreliance is the best defence against the pressures of the moment. War is merely the continuation of policy by other means we see, therefore, that war is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse carried on with other means. War is not merely an act of policy but a true political instrument, a continuation of political intercourse carried on with other means. The british military historian john keegan attacked clausewitzs theory in his book a history of warfare. What we should admire is the acute fulfillment of the unspoken assumptions, the smooth harmony of the whole activity, which only become evident in the final success.
Even though he wrote his only major work at a time when the range of firearms was fifty yards, much of what. Clausewitz on strategy free summary by christopher. The smaller the penalty you demand from your opponent, the less you can expect him to try and deny it to you. If it is all a calculation of probabilities based on given individuals and conditions, the political object, which was the original motive, must become an essential factor in the equation. Each of the adversaries forces the hand of the other, and a reciprocal action results which in theory can have no limit. Strength of character does not consist solely in having. Clausewitz, a prussian general who fought against napoleon, quite literally wrote the book on war. Clausewitz is a touchstone for the field today, and is.
Clausewitz enlisted in the prussian army in 1792, and in 179395 he took part and. He is most famous for his military treatise vom kriege, translated into english as on war. This is the essential book, and this translation makes it lucid and comprehensible. His most notable work, vom kriege on war, was unfinished at his death. Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.
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