War, Politics, and Power: Selections from on War, and I Believe and Profess [Paperback]

Carl Von Clausewitz (Author), Edward M. Collins (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0895264013 | ISBN-13: 978-0895264015

For the strategist - whether he's in business, the military, or any other competitive field of endeavor - here is the essence of the greatest military thinker in the western world. Karl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) was a Prussian general and battlefield opponent of Napoleon (including on the retreat from Moscow). His book On War is the most famous and influential analysis of warfare and its principles ever written. This celebrated abridgement and translation by Colonel Edward M. Collins has since become a set military text and is credited by Colonel Summers with helping the American military achieve its smashing victory in the Persian Gulf.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

Product Details

• Paperback: 209 pages
• Publisher: Gateway Editions (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895264013
• ISBN-13: 978-0895264015
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,901,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clausewitz on War, May 2, 2001

By 

R. Setliff - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: War, Politics, and Power: Selections from on War, and I Believe and Profess (Paperback)

Essentially, this book contains the German military theorist and tacticians best writings. Clauswitz, the Prussian Sun Tzu, effectively brought the concept of total war into acceptability. Gone our the days Antonie Henri Jomini's chilvarious code of conduct and honor- Civilians will not only be subject to attack - they'll bear the brunt of the battle in an age of total war. Several points are made- which are crucial to surmising Clausewitzian theory- 1) "War is the continuation of state policy by other means;" 2) "All war is based on the art of deception;" 3) "No one starts war... without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by the war and how he intends to conduct it;" 4) War is "an act of force to compel our enemy to do our will." 5) "If the enemy is thrown off balance, he must not be given time to recover. Blow after blow must be struck in the same direction: the victor, in other words, must strike with all his strength... by daring to win all, will one really defeat the enemy." To me this work is valuable in its historical context- and as an ardent student of military history.

I got this from the Conservative Book Club, which is tied to the Regnery publishing house. Apparently, one of the reasons that this book is pushed by the conservative publishing house Regnery- isn't because conservatives are thought of as warmongerers, but because the this book is so widely disseminated in the Communist Bloc nations. Understanding the strategic theory that so profoundly influences them should wake us up.