Carl von Clausewitz
Carl von Clausewitz
Carl Philipp Gottfriedvon Clausewitz was a Prussian general and military theorist who stressed the "moral"and political aspects of war. His most notable work, Vom Kriege, was unfinished at his death. Clausewitz was a realist in many different senses and, while in some respects a romantic, also drew heavily on the rationalist ideas of the European Enlightenment...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionSoldier
Date of Birth1 June 1780
CountryGermany
military war simple
In war, while everything is simple, even the simplest thing is difficult. Difficulties accumulate and produce frictions which no one can comprehend who has not seen war.
war suffering domain
War is the domain of physical exertion and suffering.
twilight fog action
All action takes place, so to speak, in a kind of twilight, which like a fog or moonlight, often tends to make things seem grotesque and larger than they really are.
peace war mean
The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered in isolation form their purposes.
war mean politics
War is regarded as nothing but the continuation of state policy with other means.
passion mind savages
Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind.
war simple doe
Knowledge in war is very simple, being concerned with so few subjects, and only with their final results at that. But this does not make its application easy.
war continuation
War is merely a continuation of politics,
war twilight data
The great uncertainty of all data in war is because all action, to a certain extent, planned in a mere twilight - like the effect of a fog - gives things exaggerated dimensions and unnatural appearance.
war age peculiar
Every age has its own kind of war, its own limiting conditions and its own peculiar preconceptions.
country military lovers
The conqueror is always a lover of peace; he would prefer to take over our country unopposed.
art war may
Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities; and it is still closer to politics, which in turn may be considered as a kind of commerce on a larger scale.
inspirational strength courage
Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.
strong strategy very-strong
The best strategy is always to be very strong.