Product Description: On War is perhaps the greatest book ever written about war. Carl von Clausewitz, a Prussian soldier, 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. On War is both a philosophical and practical work in which Clausewitz defines the essential nature of war, debates the qualities of the great commander, assesses the relative strengths of defensive and offensive warfare, and - in highly controversial passages - considers the relationship between war and politics. His arguments are illustrated with vivid examples drawn from the campaigns of Frederick the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte. For the student of society as well as the military historian, On War remains a compelling and indispensable source.
Slog On War is a great book and had Civil War Generals followed its advice, the war would have probably been over much sooner and not have lasted so long.
If you like military history, this is a must read.
The Definitive Von Clausewitz I purchased the Everyman's Library edition of Von Clausewitz's On War for my husband, who is a military officer. He was deeply dissatisfied with the Penguin edition, which is awful in every respect, and so I went in search of an unabridged publication. The Everyman's library version is affordable at around twenty dollars, and expertly translated by the Princeton scholars Howard and Paret (who have a much more expensive but otherwise identical Princeton press edition published). It includes the entire unfinished work, including the books that focus on specifics of military tactics left out of the Penguin edition. My only complaint about this excellent edition, which incidentally features a very helpful "how to read this book" section, is that it is somewhat cheaply bound and may not hold up to prolonged and intense study over the years. It would be nice to have an attractively bound copy for display in a library or office, as well. I fear we may begin to lose pages if we are not careful, but at twenty dollars, the book is replaceable. Steer clear of penguin, and go straight to Howard and Paret. You won't be sorry.
Strategy ? - This book is required reading. This classic is required reading for any scholar or other person interested in strategic thinking, military command and decision making, leadership of large scale or complex endeavors.
Geo-Political Student Very well written. A must have book for any student or practicioner of the Art and Strategy of War and/or the History of War.
"War is nothing but a duel on an extensive scale." This is one of those books where one of my immediate questions before I begin is whether or not I have enough qualifications in the subject matter to get anything useful out of the material. Some writers can be read relatively cold. Others cannot. In terms of military theory, I haven't read more than a few primary texts: The Art Of War and The Book of Five Rings.
Since Von Clausewitz spends quite a bit of time on base definitions, I found that even given my lack of background in military theory I was able to follow and engage with the material. I am sure that someone who has a better background in the subject matter would get even more. I was satisfied that it was a good use of my time.
Personally, I found myself focusing the most on the distinction that Von Clausewitz makes between strategy and tactics. It felt important, and quite applicable even off the battlefield. Even if I was only considering that theme, there would have been more than enough material for me to chew over. I was actually surprised with how much I enjoyed the book and how I never felt bored or lost.
I read the Wordsworth Library edition, which was significantly abridged. The first books are translated and published in full, with the abridgment increasing as the books progressed. This irritated me a little bit, but I may well be inclined to trust the editor's judgment that a casual reader like myself need not read the entire work. This edition had a rather blessedly clear and helpful introduction by Louise Willmot.
Anything Goes Trivia
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