On Clausewitz - by H Smith (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Clausewitz is often quoted but more often misunderstood. On Clausewitz presents his central ideas about war and politics - such as war as an instrument of policy, the concept of Absolute War, friction and the fog of war - in a clear and systematic fashion. It also presents the man, his life and the military and intellectual environment in which he produced his great work On War . A final section considers Clausewitz's relevance to the rapidly changing nature of war today.

Review Quotes

' On Clausewitz is a thorough survey of all of Clausewitz's most important insights, drawn not only from On War but also from his voluminous writings on military history and international politics. Smith is particularly good at outlining the intellectual influences on Clausewitz...Far from being the bloody-minded apostle of total war portrayed by detractors, Smith's Clausewitz is a complex and fully rounded thinker.' Ian Garrick Mason, Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

HUGH SMITH is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science and the Australian National University. He has taught officer cadets in Australia for over three decades and was the Founding Director of the Australian Defence Studies Centre. His publications cover many aspects of military affairs, from nuclear strategy to conscientious objection.