Clausewitz: A Biography

by Roger Parkinson

Book Overview

The Prussian general and military theoretician Carl Phillip Gottleib von Clausewitz spent much of his life combatting Napoleon's army, recording his martial insights in the demanding book On War. Parkinson details the events of Clausewitz's life, and aids readers in understanding Clausewitz's writings.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815412339
• ISBN13: 9780815412335
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Cooper Square Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Biography on Clausewitz; what a concept!

You'd think that a man who's philosophy on war is more read, quoted, and debated than any other would have had a biography done on him years ago, but that's not the case. Although many biographies on Clausewitz were published in German, especially in the late 19th and early 20th century, it's difficult to find anything in English. Hence Roger Parkinson's book truely does fill a gap in the literature, especially since Clausewitz' experience in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars affected the development of his own writings, such as "On War." One of the reasons for the limited availability of biographies is the limited availability of sources. In his discussion of sources, Parkinson notes that personal information on Clausewitz is limited to the letters he wrote to his wife, and to a lesser extent to his friends and mentors Gneisenau and Scharnhorst. What this means is the much of the information on Clausewitz is inferred or drawn from secondary sources such as books on the Prussian reforms and/or reformists of the period; a movement in which Clausewitz was involved. This is why my rating is 4 stars; not through any fault of the author's, but because the lack of primary sources does not allow a full exploration of Clausewitz as a person or his role in the Prussian and Russian armies. Unfortunately this means the book often tells Clausewitz' story via a military history of the battles in which Clausewitz is involved; the author adds as much as he can, when the information is available, as to where Clausewitz was, and his role, in a given battle, but in many cases this means one is reading another straight forward history of a given campaign or battle. Having said that, this does allow a perspective on Clausewitz and his writings. Just knowing about his involvement in specific battles against the French in the Revolutionary Wars, Jena-Auerstadt, Napoleon's Russian Campaign, and the Waterloo Campaign allow some understanding into his thinking. The bottom line is that this book must be read by someone who is interested in Clausewitz' writings. It adds substance to Clausewitz the man and not just the philosopher on war.

Clausewitz, and the Wars That Made Him

This is a wonderful and lively biograpgy of a man and the tumultuous times he lived in. To many readers Clauswitz might seem just the author of a somewhat dry and theoretical treastise on warfare. A sort of modern update on Machiavelli's THE PRINCE. This work shows him to be something much more than that. Clausewitz expereinced the full extent of the Napoleonic Wars, both as a field and staff officer. Therefor, he was in a unique position to understand and to later write about the conduct of war. Clausewitz saw first-hand the castastrophe of his country. Prussia had done relatively little in the earlier wars of the French Revolution. By staying neutral Prussia should have observed and studied the new systems of warfare that were being developed by France and Napolean. Instead a rigid adherence to the older theories of Frederick The Great were maintained, forgetting the fact that the great King himself would have adapted to circumstances. The Prussian army of 1806 has been described by some as a museum piece. When Napolean finally turned against Prussia that year Clausewitz would see first-hand how ill prepared his nation was. Present at Jena-Auerstadt, he witnessed how incapable the Prussian army was against the new flexible tactics and formations of the French. Resounding defeat brought his spirits low, and even though personally he did well, this biography shows that Clausewitz was of a brooding and withdrawn nature. He became obsessed with revenge against Napolean. Soon he fell in with the influential reformers of the Prussian army. Gneisenau, Schernhorst and Stein all knew Clasewitz well, and he became one of those men behind the scenes working with these great people. This biography brings all these famous people who interracted with Clausewitz to life, and shows what exciting and difficult times he lived in. As Prussia slowly rebuilt after the crushing defeat of 1806 Clasuewitz became increasingly desperate to see his nation take the field again against Napolean. Prussia's king, the conservetive Friedrich William III had other notions. While desiring to ride his kingdom of French domination, the king did not wish to change his government. Aware that the army desperately needed reforms, he resisted the ideas of Clauswitz and others who wanted a greater citizen invovlement in Prussia's military. To the King such ideas were dangerous to the Hohenzollern monarchy which relied upon the time honored principles of central rule. Clausewitz and the reform group were desperate to implement these changes. Only by mobilizing the general populace could Prussia ever hope to ride itself of Napolean. As the years passed and opportunities came and went, the vacillating Prussian king grew ever more resistant to change. When Napolean demanded a Prussian contingent for his invasion of Russia in 1812, the king meekly consented. The reformers were outraged. Disqusted, Clausewitz quite the Prussain service, much to the kings anno

The Story of a Military Man

This book follows the action of the Napoleonic wars, where Clausewitz spent most of his life and his energy. Parkinson motivates Clausewitz's famous, later work, 'On War', by telling us of a man obsessed with fighting for the Fatherland against the French. As the pages turn, the reader empathizes with the Prussian Junker, who has trouble talking to women and even more hardship trying to reform the Prussian army. The final chapter concerns itself with 'On War' and its misinterpretation in the many wars following its publication. Parkison has a fluid writing style which makes the reading fast.

A classic and highly scholarly study of military theory

Clausewitz: A Biography by biographer Roger Parkinson relates the life and work of German officer and military theorist Carl Phillip Gottleib von Clausewitz (1780-1831) who is perhaps best known for his historic contribution to military studies titled "On War." Scrutinizing Clausewitz's life and ideas in the keenest detail, Clausewitz: A Biography is a classic and highly scholarly study of military theory, as well as a straightforward and very strongly recommended presentation of a great leader's life.