Clausewitz: A Very Short Introduction

Karl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) is acknowledged to be a great writer on war. Even though he wrote his work at a time when the range of firearms was fifty yards, much of what he had to say remains relevant. This book explains his ideas in terms of his experiences as a soldier in the Napoleonic Wars, and of the intellectual background of his time.
Karl von Clausewitz's study "On War" was described by the American strategic thinker Bernard Brodie as "not simply the greatest, but the only great book about war". Even though he wrote his only major work at a time when the range of firearms was fifty yards, much of what he had to say remains relevant today. Michael Howard explains Clausewitz's ideas in terms both of his experiences as a professional soldier in the Napoleonic Wars, and of the intellectual background of his time.