
INTRODUCTION
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
NOTICE
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE AUTHOR
BRIEF MEMOIR OF GENERAL CLAUSEWITZ (BY TRANSLATOR)
CHAPTER I.What is War? - 1. INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER II.Ends and Means in War
CHAPTER III.The Genius for War
CHAPTER IV.Of Danger in War
CHAPTER V.Of Bodily Exertion in War
A penetrating exploration of war’s true nature, this work strips conflict of romantic myth and presents it as a raw instrument of political will. Drawing on the insights of a pioneering military theorist, it argues that force is wielded not for abstract glory but to achieve concrete objectives, governed only by the logic of necessity. The author maps the evolution of European power struggles from the aftermath of Waterloo to the contemporary balance of forces, showing how each clash reshapes the continent’s strategic landscape.
Beyond the battlefield, the book delves into the broader implications of a world held together by a precarious equilibrium of strength. It warns that the tension built up by ever‑growing populations and shifting resources makes peace a fragile construct, prone to sudden rupture. Listeners will gain a clear‑sighted understanding of why preparation, organization, and decisive action remain essential to averting the chaos that unchecked conflict can unleash.
Language
en
Duration
~29 hours (1672K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger
Release date
2006-02-26
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1780–1831
Best known for the classic military work On War, this Prussian officer wrote ideas about conflict, uncertainty, and strategy that still shape military thinking today. His life stretched from the battlefields of the Napoleonic era to one of the most influential books ever written about war.
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