On War
Carl Clausewitz, Anatol Rapoport (Introducer), J. Graham (Translator)
Combining military theory and raw accounts of its practice, Carl von Clausewitz's treatise
On War has had a profound influence on subsequent thinking on warfare. This Penguin Classics edition is edited with an introduction by Anatol Rapoport.
Writing at the time of Napoleon's greatest campaigns, Prussian soldier and writer Carl von Clausewitz created this landmark treatise on the art of warfare, which presented war as part of a coherent system of political thought. In line with Napoleon's own military actions, he illustrated the need to annihilate the enemy and make a strong display of one's power in an 'absolute war' without compromise. But he was also careful to distinguish between war and politics, arguing that war could only be justified when debate was no longer adequate, and that if undertaken, its aim should ultimately be to improve the wellbeing of the nation, pioneering the notion of war as
'politics by other means'.
This edition contains a detailed introduction, examining von Clausewitz's skill and reputation as a writer, philosopher and political thinker, as well as a bibliography, notes and a glossary.
Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) was a Prussian soldier and writer who entered the Prussian Military at the age of twelve with the rank of Lance-Corporal, serving in the Rhine campaign from 1793 to 1794. In 1801 he joined the Berlin Military Academy, where he studied Kant and attracted the attention of General Gerhard von Scharnhorst, whom he later helped to reform the Prussian army. More a philosopher than a soldier, Clausewitz's fame rests on the enduring success of
On War (
Vom Kriege), unfinished at the time of his death and published posthumously by his wife, in 1832.
This is a copy I have had since the late 1980's - I don't know exactly
when I bought the copy , but I have an old address sticky label that has my old parents address - when I lived with my parents ( and saved a fortune ).
It is a good book to read , as long as you take your time and realise
its not a book to read in a few days -
However where it shines is that it is a genuine classic and a must for every one interested in military history and history in general. - The translation from old-fashioned German to English is easily read. The main text is supplemented with articles assisting the reader in understanding the author and his times. However, this is large book, containing more than 700 pages.
You cannot 'read through' a book like this, it has to be studied over months .