Understanding Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz's book, On War, has stood the test of time. Clausewitz's greatest contribution may have been in the organization and compilation of commonly known facts, rather than in the discovery of new truths with respect to combat and war. He succeeded because he analyzed a great number of elements, shedding light on old ideas, and clarifying these in a format that the masses of military men could understand. He recognized the importance of studying failure brought by uncertainty and chance. Clausewitz necessarily requires deep analysis, however, which is not possible in a book this size, intended only to highlight his most important arguments. To get the most out of Clausewitz, focus should be placed on the nature of war (a set of universal principles) as opposed to the conduct of war (the specific methods by which war is waged).

There are many prisms through which one can view Clausewitz and the ways in which he expressed military theory. Rather than examining specific battles or simply giving the reader a rundown of facts for memorization, this brief book introduces the major issues that appear in On War. The intent is not to go into depth about Clausewitz, but to give the reader a good start through brevity, in the hope that it will trigger further analysis and discussion. The text includes the following topics: 

1. On the Theory of War

2. What is War?

3. Absolute versus Real War

4. Defense as the Stronger Form of War

5. On Strategy and Tactics in War

6. On Victory and Defeat

7. On the Commander and Military Genius

8.  Topics for Further Study and Debate 

The book is suitable for history interested readers looking for thought provoking topics, but not having a lot of time; and for teachers preparing the class for critical thinking about historical events, and how they have come to affect current affairs. More books with focus on domestic and international military history will be forthcoming in this series titled, A 59-Minute Perspective.