Reading Clausewitz. . - Reviews - book review

Contemporary Review, August, 2002

Reading Clausewitz. Beatrice Heuser. Pimlico. [pounds sterling]12.50 p.b. 238 pages. ISBN 0-7126-6484-X. This 'Pimlico Original' takes a new look at one of the most influential books in the history of warfare, Karl von Clausewitz's On War. Professor Heuser's aim is to 'distil from Clausewitz's writing what are arguably the most important ideas, to point out and explain the key contradictions ...

to guide the reader through Clausewitz's writing ... [and) to show what impact his ideas had on later generations'. She describes Clausewitz's background, the reaction to his book, the most important ideas and contradictions in it (it was published after his death and therefore unrevised), Clausewitz's views on the state and society, his contribution to our understanding of war and his role in the two World Wars of the twentieth century. She looks at his impact on: naval warfare, 'limited' wars in the twentieth century. guerrilla war and the threat of nuclear war. In her conclusion the author examines Clausewitz's cri tics and assesses his importance for understanding the nature of war in the last century. Prof. Heuser concludes that 'Clausewitz's contribution to our thinking on war is outstanding, and has rightly been a model copied by other strategic thinkers'.