Carl von Clausewitz
Prussian officer and theorist of war
He is widely acknowledged as the most important of the classical strategic thinkers.[1] His famous aphorism states, "War is the continuation of policy with other means".[2] Carl Philipp Gottlieb von Clausewitz, born 1 July 1780, was a Prussian army officer and military theorist who emphasized the psychological and political dimensions of warfare.[3]
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Carl Philipp Gottlieb Clauswitz
- Born
- 1 July 1780
- Birthplace
- Burg bei Magdeburg, Prussia, Holy Roman Empire
- Died
- 16 November 1831
- Place of death
- Breslau, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia
- Allegiance
- Prussia, Russia
- Branch
- Prussian Army; Imperial Russian Army
- Service years
- 1792–1831 (Prussia); 1812–1813 (Russia)
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
Clausewitz was born on 1 July 1780 in Burg bei Magdeburg as the fourth and youngest son of a family that claimed noble status.[4] He served as aide-de-camp to Prince August during the Jena Campaign and was captured at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806.[3] On 10 December 1810, he married Countess Marie von Brühl, who was well-educated and politically well-connected.[5] He helped negotiate the Convention of Tauroggen in 1812, which prepared the way for the coalition that defeated Napoleon.[3]
From 1807 through 1808, Clausewitz and his prince were kept as prisoners in France.[3] Because he disagreed with Prussia's enforced alliance with Napoleon, Clausewitz left the Prussian army and fought for the Imperial Russian Army from 1812 to 1813, including at the Battle of Borodino in 1812.[3] On 16 November 1831, Clausewitz succumbed to cholera.[3]
What the cited sources add
His tombstone gives his full name as Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz, differing from the name generally given by scholars.[6] Bassford's account states that Clausewitz first saw combat at age thirteen in a guerrilla-style campaign against revolutionaries in France.[7] The same source notes that Scharnhorst became his sponsor, mentor, and close friend after being impressed by his ability.[7] Bassford describes Clausewitz as a practical field soldier, a first-rate historian, and a political theorist.[7]
References
- Bassford, "Clausewitz and His Works", Clausewitz.com, March 8, 2016. facts only, no text reused. clausewitz.com
- Wikipedia, "Carl von Clausewitz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Clausewitz, "On War", Princeton University Press, 1984, p. 87 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Carl von Clausewitz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bassford, "Clausewitz and His Works", Clausewitz.com, March 8, 2016 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Carl von Clausewitz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Aron, "Clausewitz: Philosopher of War", Taylor & Francis, 1983, p. 12–14 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Carl von Clausewitz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bellinger, Vanya Eftimova. Marie von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind the Making of On War. New York/London: Oxford University Press, 2015.; Bellinger, "Five Things You Didn't Know About Carl von Clausewitz", Real Clear Defense, January 6, 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "Clausewitz's tombstone", Clausewitz.com. facts only, no text reused. clausewitz.com
- Bassford, "Clausewitz and His Works", Clausewitz.com, March 8, 2016. facts only, no text reused. clausewitzstudies.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Carl von Clausewitz (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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