Product Description

'War is merely the continuation of policy by other means'

On War is one of the most important books ever written on the subject of war. Clausewitz, a Prussian officer who fought against the French during the Napoleonic Wars, sought to understand and analyse the phenomenon of war so that future leaders could conduct and win conflicts more effectively. He studied the human and social factors that affect outcomes, as well as the tactical and technological ones. He understood that war was a weapon of government, and that political purpose,
chance, and enmity combine to shape its dynamics. On War continues to be read by military strategists, politicians, and others for its timeless insights.

This abridged edition by Beatrice Heuser, using the acclaimed translation by Michael Howard and Peter Paret, selects the central books in which Clausewitz's views on the nature and theory of war are developed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1866 in Books
• Published on: 1997-07-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Synopsis
The author of this text, the Prussian soldier Carl von Clausewitz, had witnessed at first hand the immense destructive power of the French revolutionary armies which swept across Europe between 1792 and 1815. His response was to write a comprehensive text covering every aspect of warfare. In both a philosophical and a practical work, Clausewitz defines the essential nature of war, debates the qualities of a great commander, assesses the relative strengths of defensive and offensive war, and - in highly controversial passages - considers the relationship between war and politics. His arguments are illustrated with examples drawn from the campaigns of Frederick the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Customer Reviews

Text on War
This is not an easy book to read nor understand. It takes several readings. A large investment in time will allow the reader to understand Clausewitz's system and the remarkable way that it stills aides in understanding the phenomenon of war. The text is adorned with many historical examples. Continuously emphasizing that war is 'a continuity of policy by other means. He has defined perfectly the theory of war, its tactical and strategic purposes. A must for an military or political leader.

Definitive work; Definitive translation
Technology has made the details of Clausewitz's work obsolescent -- for example night attacks by US forces are highly effective. And strategic nuclear war approaches what Von Clausewitz thought merely an abstraction: "absolute war." Nonetheless, "On War" remains the definitive text on the unchanging fundamentals of military strategy and the relationship of force and policy.

"On War" will always be a dense and difficult work to read; it has so much information in so (comparatively) little space, and the concepts are frequently new to modern eyes. Nonetheless, a great translation makes the book far more accessible than does a poor one (such as the Wordsworth edition uses). The Howard/Paret translation is the definitive English language version. Any student of war, or even of politics, should read this book in this translation.

too tough
Having read The Prince and The Art of War I thought I could handle this book. I was wrong. It's so dense, so indecipherable. You'll find you've read a whole page and you have no idea what it was about.