Carl von Clausewitz's On War is the most relevant attempt in Western history to deconstruct war, both in its internal dynamics and as an instrument of policy. The work has invigorated generations of soldiers, political leaders, and intellectuals since its publication in 1832. It is a comprehensive and methodical theory of war, which expanded to three volumes. Making a distinction between physical and moral aspects of war, Clausewitz deconstructs the classical issues of field combat, army formation, the relationship between battles and wars, the character of military leaders and troops, and so on. On War is an English translation of Von Kriege, originally written in German. Clausewitz died before the text came to the world, but his wife posthumously published the existing manuscripts. On War is considered to be a seminal treatise on the subject of war.
Carl Von Clausewitz (1780-1831) was a Prussian general, military combat, and a theorist associated with the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, He enlisted in the Prussian army in 1792 and 1793-95. His basic ideas on war were shaped by extensive reading and a curriculum in his institute. He served in various staff posts and was crucial during the catastrophic French retreat. Clausewitz took part in the final campaigns that brought down Napoleon in 1813-15. During the Waterloo campaign, he served as chief of staff to one of the four Prussian army corps. His journey as a military scholar started when peace grew settling in the Prussian army. His intellectual interests encouraged the idea of On War. Rather than sticking to logistics, he propounded that uncertainty, chance, and ambiguity are essential to the fate of wars. He theorised the philosophy of war and examined them with his dialectical approach to knowledge. He famously stated, "War is a continuation of state policy with the admixture of other means:' He died in Poland, in 1831, aged 51.
