Clausewitz And The Nature Of W
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In seeking out the fundamental nature of Clausewitz's own mature theories, perhaps the best place to start is with some of the most common misconceptions of his argument. Such misconceptions are almost always the product of writers who either never read On War (or read only the opening paragraphs or perhaps a condensation) or who sought intentionally (for propaganda purposes) to distort its content. The book's specific arguments are very clearly stated and rarely difficult to comprehend. The first of these misconceptions is the notion that Clausewitz considered war to be a "science."*1 Another (and related) misconception is that he considered war to be entirely a rational tool of state ...
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art is creative ability. Of course, all art involves some science (the mathematical sources of harmony, for example) and good science always involves creativity. Clausewitz saw tactics as more scientific in character and strategy as something of an art, but the conscious, rational exercise of "military strategy," a term much beloved of theorists and military historians, is a relatively rare occurrence in the real world. "It has become our general conviction," he said, "that ideas in war are generally so simple, and lie so near the surface, that the merit of their invention can seldom substantiate the talent of the commander who adopts them."*2 Most real events are driven by incomprehensible forces like chance, emotion, bureaucratic irrationalities, and intraorganizational politics, and a great many "strategic" decisions are made unconsciously, often long before the outbreak of hostilities. If pressed, Clausewitz would have placed
war-making closer to the domain of the arts, but ...
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outcome of the war with Iraq?
1. Finishing a long, grueling, dangerous engineering project.
2. Completing a great painting or symphony.
3. "Winning" an argument with one's spouse.
Writing in German, Clausewitz used the word Politik, and his most famous phrase has been variously translated as "War is a continuation of `policy'--or of `politics'--by other means." For the purpose of argument, he assumed that state policy would be rational, that is, aimed at improving the situation of the society it represented. He also believed along with most Westerners of his era that war was a legitimate means for a state's advancement of its interests. This is often taken to mean that war is somehow ...
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"Clausewitz And The Nature Of W." Essayworld.com. November 9, 2004. Accessed April 19, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Clausewitz-And-The-Nature-Of-W/17247.
"Clausewitz And The Nature Of W." Essayworld.com. November 9, 2004. Accessed April 19, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Clausewitz-And-The-Nature-Of-W/17247.
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