Pdf this paper reexamines the theoretical underpinnings of strategic. Its coherence and ambition are unmatched by other military literature. Most of it was written after the napoleonic wars and was published after his death. Feb 26, 2006 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Clausewitz was meant to revise his book but died before finishing the task. The gatzke translation of clausewitzs principles of war is displayed on the clausewitz. First published in germany in 1832, on war, consisting of eight books numbering.
Clausewitz, the son of a retired lieutenant who held a minor post in the prussian internal revenue service, first encountered war in 1793 as a twelveyearold lance corporal. By comparing this theoretical version of war with reality, clausewitz aims to identify how and why these two types of war di. The genesis of on war \ peter paret the influence of clausewitz \ michael howard the continuing relevance of on war \ bernard brodie on war. His most notable work, vom kriege on war, was unfinished at his death. You can read this ebook on any device that supports drmfree epub or drmfree pdf. It is an extraordinary attempt to construct an allembracing theory of how war works.
On war, book 1 by clausewitz my interpretation and summary. Perhaps the most important book on military strategy ever written. Clausewitzs book on war aims to formulate a coherent and comprehensive theory of war. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. On war is the most noteworthy endeavor in western history to get war, both in its inner elements and as an instrument of approach. The publisher has supplied this book in drm free form with digital watermarking. Clausewitzs on war has, at least until very recently, been regarded as the most important work of theory on its subject. War, however, is not the action of a living force upon a lifeless mass total nonresistance would be no war at all but always the collision of two living forces, the ultimate aim of waging war, as formulated here, must be taken as applying to both sides. It has been translated into english several times as on war.
Princeton university press books are printed on acidfree paper and meet the. Gatzke praised the book of principles, saying that like nothing else. Grahams translation of the original work is adequate. He is most famous for his military treatise vom kriege complete text available here, translated into english as on war complete text available here.
The translation of clausewitzs on war is the 1943 version done by german literary scholar o. Though the aim of a war is as variable as the political object an. The epic battles for ticonderoga, 1758 by william r. Oxford university press, the full text of which is online. A heritage of the army campaigns close to castle ticonderoga, ny, in 1758. On war continues to be read by military strategists, politicians, and others for its timeless insights. Nevertheless, the author stresses war as a political action. War is the province of danger, and clausewitz describes the different dangers experienced by the leaders of an army at. The 197684 howardparet version is the standard translation today.
This abridged edition by beatrice heuser, using the acclaimed translation by michael howard and peter paret, selects the central books in which clausewitzs views on the nature and theory of war are developed. Since the works first appearance in 1832, it has been read throughout the world, and has stimulated generations of soldiers, statesmen, and intellectuals. Clausewitz, a prussian general who fought against napoleon, quite literally wrote the book on war. Even a brief consideration of these questions will cast light on the development of clausewitzs ideas and on the forms his ideas assumed in the various strata of on war. Since jolles taught military german and german clauzewitz organization, and on war was considered to be a key to german military behavior, he seemed to be the natural man for the job even. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. Clausewitz s conception of war is strikingly unique. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Publication date 1976 topics military art and science, war publisher. Clausewitz was a realist in many different senses and, while in. Matthijs jolles at the university of chicago during world war iinot todays standard translation, but. Buy the best translationrecommended for serious readers.
Vom kriege is the basic work on the western way of war. Clausewitz in the twenty first century book summary. A thesis submitted for the degree of phd at the university. War is an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will book 1, part 2, p. On war, book 1 by clausewitz my interpretation and summary i have just finished reading on wars book 1 by clausewitz. Clausewitzs conception of war is strikingly unique. Since the works first appearance in 1832, it has been perused all through the world and has animated generations of warriors, statesmen, and learned people. His ideas remain widely taught in military schools, and are, more than ever, essential to the modern strategist.
Pdf clausewitz s on war download full pdf book download. Clausewitz was so far mostly interpreted as the paradigmatic thinker of major interstate war. Graham 1808 1883 a classic work on military strategy by a veteran of the napoleonic wars. Pdf clausewitz on small war download read online free. Graham translation published by nicholas trubner in london in 1873. But since the end of the cold war in 1990, and even more since the 911 attacks on the united states in 2001, an increasing number of commentators have argued that on war has lost its analytical edge as a tool for. Gatzke stressed clausewitz s unlimited war of annihilation, his absolute. Wikipedia book on war volume 1 download m4b 87mb download cover art download cd case insert. This book is a classic and a must for every one interested in military history and history in general. Clausewitz constantly sought to revise the text, particularly between 1827 and his departure on his last field assignments, to include more material on peoples war and forms of war other than highintensity warfare between states, but relatively little of this material was included in the book. It deals with the different components of war from its nature to its philosophy and to its actual practice such as strategy and tactics. For the eighth book on the plan of a war, that is, of the organisation of a whole war in generalseveral chapters are designed, but they are not at all to be regarded as real materials, they are merely a track, roughly cleared, as it were, through the mass, in order by that means to ascertain the points of most importance. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. On war free pdf, chm, epub, fb2 free download ebook pdf.
Kindle, 442 kb, this is an ebook formatted for amazon kindle devices. On war is the most significant attempt in western history to understand war, both in its internal dynamics and as an instrument of policy. Clausewitz is a central figure in both the academic field of strategic studies and the practice of military education worldwide. Graham translation of clausewitz s vom kriege 1832 published in london in 1873. It was a very difficult book to read and i think ive made some errors in interpretation plus grammar and spelling. This volume of on war includes topics of the nature, theory, and strategy of war and combat. He coined the famous or infamous depending on how you see it war is the continuation of politics by another means. Clausewitz had set about revising his accumulated manuscripts in 1827, but did not live to finish the task. Clausewitzs on war and sun tzus art of war in one volume. Princeton university press, 1984, particularly if you are using this book for your scholarly or research work. This book argues that clausewitz developed a wideranging political theory of war by reflecting not only on the success, but also on the limitations and the failure of napoleons method of waging war. It is derived from the german original, clausewitz s vom kriege berlin.
For the eighth bookon the plan of a war, that is, of the organisation of a whole war in generalseveral chapters are designed, but they are not at all to be regarded as real materials, they are merely a track, roughly cleared, as it were, through the mass, in order by that means to ascertain the points of most importance. The analysis of the clausewitzian political logic of war is conducted through. It concentrates on defeating the enemy by massing overwhelming force at the enemys weak point. On war, book 1 by clausewitz my interpretation and. Clausewitz now considers the ends and means of war. These books give the theory and goals of war that can be applied to conquering meeting rooms and empires. Less commonly appreciated is the nature of the approach he adopted which enabled him to arrive at his central. Gatzke stressed clausewitzs unlimited war of annihilation, his absolute. An examination of relations between war and politics. Clausewitz on war book 3 summary, chapter summary for carl clausewitzs on war, book 3 chapters 1 2 summary. In his book vom kriege on war the expression is explained.
Even a brief consideration of these questions will cast light on the development of clausewitz s ideas and on the forms his ideas assumed in the various strata of on war. However, grahams edition only contains the first four books of the work. His magnus opus on war is used by military historians, strategists, and politicians to this day. It argues that clausewitz abandoned the idea of absolute war which appears almost exclusively in the first half of book viii of on war, that ideal war is a distinctly new departure in book 1, and that clausewitz did relatively little further work to the manuscript of vom.
This book is a classic and a must for every one interested in. War is a continuation of politics by different means. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Published in 1832, a year after his death, on war is regarded by military experts even today as the definitive study of warfare.
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