On War

This book, by Carl von Clausewitz, is a classic work on Western strategic culture. The author, born in 1780, was a lance corporal at the age of twelve and served in the both the Prussian and Russian armies at a pivotal point in European history and the evolution of warfare. His book sets forth scores of fundamental ideas on armed conflict. War is a physical manifestation of opposing wills, a continuation of politics and policy. It entails a strategic interaction vis-á-vis a thinking opponent. It is dangerous and physical, and the “fog of war” and “friction” will always make war in practice diverge from war in theory. Success depends on the interaction of the three elements of war—the “trinity” composed of the government, the army, and the people. Mastery of armed conflict entails seamless connections among the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war. Though many observations on tactics are no longer relevant, On War is central to Western miliary thought.