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On WarCarl von Clausewitz

On War

by OpenStories

Original author: Carl von Clausewitz

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"On War" by Carl von Clausewitz is a book on military strategy written between 1816 and 1830. This unfinished work, published posthumously in 1832, explores how war functions as a continuation of politics by other means. Drawing from experiences with Napoleon and the French Revolution, Clausewitz examines the unpredictable nature of warfare, the role of moral forces in battle, and why military strategy cannot follow strict universal principles. His controversial insights continue shaping military thinking today.

On War, by Carl von Clausewitz. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #1946.

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131 Chapters

  1. 1.Front Matter644 words
  2. 2.Book VII: The Attack154 words
  3. 3.Book VIII: Plan of War102 words
  4. 4.Introduction2,495 words
  5. 5.Preface: To the First Edition5,592 words
  6. 6.Chapter I: What is War?7,784 words
  7. 7.Chapter II: Ends and Means in War6,171 words
  8. 8.Chapter III: The Genius for War8,082 words
  9. 9.Chapter IV: Of Danger in War647 words
  10. 10.Chapter V: Of Bodily Exertion in War605 words
  11. 11.Chapter VI: Information in War681 words
  12. 12.Chapter VII: Friction in War1,244 words
  13. 13.Chapter VIII: Concluding Remarks, Book I616 words
  14. 14.Chapter I: Branches of the Art of War3,385 words
  15. 15.Chapter II: On the Theory of War6,925 words
  16. 16.Chapter III: Art or Science of War1,054 words
  17. 17.Chapter IV: Methodicism2,325 words
  18. 18.Chapter V: Criticism8,277 words
  19. 19.Chapter VI: On Examples2,750 words
  20. 20.Chapter I: Strategy3,295 words
  21. 21.Chapter II: Elements of Strategy377 words
  22. 22.Chapter III: Moral Forces751 words
  23. 23.Chapter IV: The Chief Moral Powers359 words
  24. 24.Chapter V: Military Virtue of an Army1,648 words
  25. 25.Chapter VI: Boldness1,693 words
  26. 26.Chapter VII: Perseverance359 words
  27. 27.Chapter VIII: Superiority of Numbers2,038 words
  28. 28.Chapter IX: The Surprise1,913 words
  29. 29.Chapter X: Stratagem820 words
  30. 30.Chapter XI: Assembly of Forces in Space209 words
  31. 31.Chapter XII: Assembly of Forces in Time2,751 words
  32. 32.Chapter XIII: Strategic Reserve1,237 words
  33. 33.Chapter XIV: Economy of Forces311 words
  34. 34.Chapter XV: Geometrical Element651 words
  35. 35.Chapter XVI: On the Suspension of the Act in War1,970 words
  36. 36.Chapter XVII: On the Character of Modern War383 words
  37. 37.Chapter XVIII: Tension and Rest964 words
  38. 38.Chapter I: Introductory220 words
  39. 39.Chapter II: Character of a Modern Battle584 words
  40. 40.Chapter III: The Combat in General1,655 words
  41. 41.Chapter IV: The Combat in General (continuation)3,160 words
  42. 42.Chapter V: On the Signification of the Combat917 words
  43. 43.Chapter VI: Duration of Combat478 words
  44. 44.Chapter VII: Decision of the Combat2,957 words
  45. 45.Chapter VIII: Mutual Understanding as to a Battle1,126 words
  46. 46.Chapter IX: The Battle(*)2,393 words
  47. 47.Chapter X: Effects of Victory2,314 words
  48. 48.Chapter XI: The Use of the Battle2,362 words
  49. 49.Chapter XII: Strategic Means of Utilising Victory4,481 words
  50. 50.Chapter XIII: Retreat After a Lost Battle910 words
  51. 51.Chapter XIV: Night Fighting1,713 words
  52. 52.Book V: Military Forces111 words
  53. 53.Chapter II: Theatre of War, Army, Campaign799 words
  54. 54.Chapter III: Relation of Power1,224 words
  55. 55.Chapter IV: Relation of the Three Arms3,870 words
  56. 56.Chapter V: Order of Battle of an Army2,641 words
  57. 57.Chapter VI: General Disposition of an Army2,554 words
  58. 58.Chapter VII: Advanced Guard and Out-Posts3,386 words
  59. 59.Chapter VIII: Mode of Action of Advanced Corps1,896 words
  60. 60.Chapter IX: Camps829 words
  61. 61.Chapter X: Marches3,022 words
  62. 62.Chapter XI: Marches (Continued)1,391 words
  63. 63.Chapter XII: Marches (continued)1,239 words
  64. 64.Chapter XIII: Cantonments2,610 words
  65. 65.Chapter XIV: Subsistence6,819 words
  66. 66.Chapter XV: Base of Operations1,996 words
  1. 67.Chapter XVI: Lines of Communication1,622 words
  2. 68.Chapter XVII: On Country and Ground1,864 words
  3. 69.Chapter XVIII: Command of Ground1,550 words
  4. 70.Chapter I: Offence and Defence1,601 words
  5. 71.Chapter II: The Relations of the Offensive and Defensive to Each Other1,378 words
  6. 72.Chapter III: The Relations of the Offensive and Defensive to Each Other1,765 words
  7. 73.Chapter IV: Convergence of Attack and Divergence of Defence1,520 words
  8. 74.Chapter V: Character of the Strategic Defensive843 words
  9. 75.Chapter VI: Extent of the Means of Defence2,754 words
  10. 76.Chapter VII: Mutual Action and Reaction of Attack and Defence699 words
  11. 77.Chapter VIII: Methods of Resistance6,613 words
  12. 78.Chapter IX: Defensive Battle1,892 words
  13. 79.Chapter X: Fortresses4,190 words
  14. 80.Chapter XI: Fortresses (Continued)2,216 words
  15. 81.Chapter XII: Defensive Position2,290 words
  16. 82.Chapter XIII: Strong Positions and Entrenched Camps2,928 words
  17. 83.Chapter XIV: Flank Positions1,036 words
  18. 84.Chapter XV: Defence of Mountains3,409 words
  19. 85.Chapter XVI: Defence of Mountains (Continued)3,417 words
  20. 86.Chapter XVII: Defence of Mountains (continued)2,288 words
  21. 87.Chapter XVIII: Defence of Streams and Rivers7,004 words
  22. 88.Chapter XIX: Defence of Streams and Rivers (continued)883 words
  23. 89.Chapter XX: A. Defence of Swamps2,528 words
  24. 90.Chapter XXI: Defence of Forests491 words
  25. 91.Chapter XX: The Cordon1,617 words
  26. 92.Chapter XXIII: Key to the Country1,771 words
  27. 93.Chapter XXIV: Operating Against a Flank4,591 words
  28. 94.Chapter XXV: Retreat into the Interior of the Country5,544 words
  29. 95.Chapter XXVI: Arming the Nation3,015 words
  30. 96.Chapter XXVII: Defence of a Theatre of War1,880 words
  31. 97.Chapter XXVIII: Defence of a Theatre of War—(continued)6,234 words
  32. 98.Chapter XXIX: Defence of a Theatre of War (continued) Successive1,113 words
  33. 99.Chapter XXX: Defence of a Theatre of War (continued) When no Decision11,314 words
  34. 100.Chapter I: The Attack in Relation to the Defence496 words
  35. 101.Chapter II: Nature of the Strategical Attack1,149 words
  36. 102.Chapter III: Of the Objects of Strategical Attack349 words
  37. 103.Chapter IV: Decreasing Force of the Attack232 words
  38. 104.Chapter V: Culminating Point of the Attack354 words
  39. 105.Chapter VI: Destruction of the Enemy’s Armies366 words
  40. 106.Chapter VII: The Offensive Battle632 words
  41. 107.Chapter VIII: Passage of Rivers1,248 words
  42. 108.Chapter IX: Attack on Defensive Positions378 words
  43. 109.Chapter X: Attack on an Entrenched Camp519 words
  44. 110.Chapter XI: Attack on a Mountain1,286 words
  45. 111.Chapter XII: Attack on Cordon Lines275 words
  46. 112.Chapter XIII: Manœuvring989 words
  47. 113.Chapter XIV: Attack on Morasses, Inundations, Woods595 words
  48. 114.Chapter XV: Attack on a Theatre of War with the View to a Decision1,573 words
  49. 115.Chapter XVI: Attack on a Theatre of War without the View to a Great1,542 words
  50. 116.Chapter XVII: Attack on Fortresses1,914 words
  51. 117.Chapter XVIII: Attack on Convoys1,059 words
  52. 118.Chapter XIX: Attack on the Enemy’s Army in its Cantonments2,417 words
  53. 119.Chapter XX: Diversion1,181 words
  54. 120.Chapter XXI: Invasion200 words
  55. 121.Chapter XXII: On the Culminating Point of Victory(*)4,030 words
  56. 122.Chapter I: Introduction924 words
  57. 123.Chapter II: Absolute and Real War1,347 words
  58. 124.Chapter III: A. Interdependence of the Parts in War6,747 words
  59. 125.Chapter IV: Ends in War More Precisely Defined3,260 words
  60. 126.Chapter V: Ends in War More Precisely Defined (continued) Limited808 words
  61. 127.Chapter VI: A. Influence of the Political Object on the Military Object4,164 words
  62. 128.Chapter VII: Limited Object—Offensive War1,105 words
  63. 129.Chapter VIII: Limited Object—Defence1,980 words
  64. 130.Chapter IX: Plan of War when the Destruction of the Enemy is the Object (1)8,735 words
  65. 131.Chapter IX: Plan of War when the Destruction of the Enemy is the Object (2)3,165 words