Synopses & Reviews
Clausewitz is often quoted but more often misunderstood.
On Clausewitz presents his central ideas about war and politics--such as war as an instrument of policy, the concept of Absolute War, friction and the fog of war--in a clear and systematic fashion. It also presents the man, his life and the military and intellectual environment in which he produced his great work
On War. A final section considers Clausewitz's relevance to the rapidly changing nature of war today.
About the Author
Hugh Smith has taught officer cadets in Australia for over three decades and was the Founding Director of the Australian Defence Studies Centre.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements * Preface * CLAUSEWITZ'S LIFE AND PERSONALITY * Soldier Scholar * WAR IN THE NAPOLEONIC ERA * On Warfare * On Armies *
ON WAR * The Intellectual Provenance of
On War *
On War * THE LEVELS OF WAR * War as Fighting * War as Contest * War as an Instrument of Policy * Pure War and Real War * STRATEGY * The Nature of Strategy * The Conduct of the Campaign Command * THEORY AND PRACTICE * Theory Praxis * THE POLITICAL CONTEXT * Politics and the State * External Policy * International Politics * THE RELEVANCE OF
ON WAR * Clausewitz to 1945 * Hypermodern War * Anti-Modern War * Modern War since 1945 * A Farewell to Clausewitz? * Bibliography