On War
by Carl von Clausewitz · Vom Kriege
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1832
- Form
- Treatise
- Language
- German
- Length
- Long · 600 pp300 to 700 pages
- Difficulty
- Difficult4 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendOn War, translated by Michael Howard and Peter ParetPrinceton University Press, 1989The standard modern translation, with introductory essays by Paret, Howard and Bernard Brodie.
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An unfinished treatise on the nature of war, assembled from Clausewitz's manuscripts by his widow after his death from cholera. Its famous claim is that war is the continuation of policy by other means, so that military action must always serve political ends. Clausewitz describes war as a trinity of violence, chance and reason; distinguishes absolute war in theory from real war, hedged by friction; and analyses strategy, the culminating point of the attack, the superiority of defence and the moral forces that decide battles.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns On War are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
