Carl von Clausewitz (June 1, 1780 – November 16, 1831) was a Prussian general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He is one of the most renowned and cited military theorists in history, known for many clever aphorisms. He served in the Prussian army for most of his life and is most known for his world famous treatise entitled “Vom Kriege” (“On War”), written subsequent to his experiences in the Napoleonic Wars. “On War” discusses many key military and political concepts (not all original to Clausewitz), including simplicity, the fog of war, centers of gravity, balance of power, military genius, strategy vs. tactics, the importance of defense, and exploiting asymmetries.
He learned it from the losing side. Clausewitz entered the Prussian army at twelve and carried a color as an ensign in the Rhine campaigns. In 1806 he served as aide to Prince August in the Jena campaign, saw Prussia’s old army collapse around him, and was wounded and carried off to France as a prisoner. When Prussia later bent to Napoleon, he gave up his commission rather than serve against his conscience and in 1812 went to fight in Russian service, standing on the staff at Borodino and helping to broker the Convention of Tauroggen that turned a Prussian corps against the French. His last post, from 1818, was director of the General War School in Berlin, and there, at a desk, he spent a decade distilling twenty years of war into one book. He died of cholera at Breslau in 1831 before he could finish his final revision; his wife Marie edited his papers and published On War in 1832.
Clausewitz stresses the value and importance of adaptability due to the unpredictable and multidimensional nature of warfare. His writings emphasize the philosophy of war and power. Clausewitz’s insights have shaped political and military thinking and discourse for nearly two centuries. Military, political, and business leaders continue to cite Clausewitz, interpreting and applying his concepts to their own particular circumstances. Clausewitz’s work is comparable to Sun Tzu and Niccolo Machiavelli in terms of influence and importance.
Core Ideas
- War answers to policy. War is the continuation of political intercourse by other means, so arms without a political aim waste themselves (Book 1, Chapter 1).
- Friction runs everything. Mud, fear, fatigue, and false reports combine to make the apparently easy thing difficult, which is why simple plans and strong wills carry the day (Book 1, Chapter 7).
- Fog covers the field. Most intelligence is uncertain or wrong, so a commander must learn to judge half in darkness and keep his nerve anyway (Book 1, Chapter 6).
- Every attack spends itself. The farther an advance runs, the weaker it grows, so the wise commander finds his culminating point and stops before strength becomes loss (Book 7, Chapter 5).
- Strike the center of gravity. Find the hub of the opponent’s power and movement and throw your whole weight against that single point (Book 8, Chapter 4).
Carl von Clausewitz Quotes
“The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.”
“War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.”
— On War, Book 1, Chapter 1
“There are cases in which the greatest daring is the greatest wisdom.”
“If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he pursues his aims with audacity and strength of will, he will reach them in spite of all obstacles.”
“If we read history with an open mind, we cannot fail to conclude that, among all the military virtues, the energetic conduct of war has always contributed most to glory and success.”
“Pursue one great decisive aim with force and determination.”
“Although the concept of defense is parrying a blow and its characteristic feature is awaiting the blow, “if we are really waging war, we must return the enemy’s blows. . . . Thus a defensive campaign can be fought with offensive battles. . . “The defensive form of war is not a simple shield, but a shield made up of well-directed blows.”
Carl von Clausewitz Books
“On War” – by Carl von Clausewitz, translated and edited by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. The standard English edition of the masterwork, complete with guide essays and a full index; the one version to own.
“Clausewitz’s On War: A Biography” – by Hew Strachan. A short, friendly life of the man and his book by an Oxford historian, and the easiest way in before the big volume itself.
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