Decoding Clausewitz: A New Approach to On War

Modern War Studies

by Jon Tetsuro Sumida

For nearly two centuries, On War, by Carl Phillip Gottfried von Clausewitz (1780-1831), has been the bible for statesmen and military professionals, strategists, theorists, and historians concerned about armed conflict. The source of the famous aphorism that "war is an extension of politics by other means," it has been widely read and debated. But, as Jon Sumida shows in this daring new look at Clausewitz's magnum opus, its full meaning has eluded most readers—until now.

Approaching Clausewitz's classic as if it were an encoded text, Sumida deciphers this cryptic masterwork and offers a more productive way of looking at the sources and evolution of its author's thought. Sumida argues that On War should be viewed as far more complete and coherent than has been supposed. Moreover, he challenges the notion that On War is an attempt to explain the nature of armed conflict through the formulation of abstract theories.

Clausewitz's primary concern, Sumida contends, was practical instruction of the military and political leadership of his country. To achieve this end, Clausewitz invented a method of reenacting the psychological difficulties of high command in order to promote the powers of intuition that he believed were essential to effective strategic decision-making. In addition, Sumida argues that Clausewitz's primary strategic proposition is that the defense is a stronger form of war than the offense. This concept, Sumida maintains, must be understood in order to make sense of Clausewitz's positions on absolute and real war, guerrilla warfare, and the relationship of war and policy/politics.

Sumida's pathbreaking critique is supported by examination of the Prussian officer's experience during the Napoleonic Wars, previous major theoretical and historical scholarship on Clausewitz and his writing, and modern philosophical and scientific works that have much in common with Clausewitz's creative guide to the consideration of strategic practice.

A major study of intellectual and military history, Sumida's book provides a provocative and above all readily comprehensible treatment of a previously inaccessible classic. It will surely become essential reading for all military professionals and serious students of military thought.

Genres: Military Fiction, Military History, War, History, Theory

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting approach. I like Sumida's writing style as well and would recommend this to History buffs, military history buffs and anyone serving in the military now. Clausewitz and Clausewitzian philosophy are so much a part of the modern military that we often forget that there was a time before him. And because his concepts are bent to the purpose of the moment it is good to re-read his works and then read Professor Sumida's work.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

On War is up there with the Bible for it's ability to be mined for "clobber texts" that support whatever opinion you might want to have. As a book that is trying to...here is where we start to get into trouble - what is Clausewitz trying to do with On War? That is the question Doctor Sumida attempts to answer in Decoding Clausewitz.

To do this, Sumida not only examines Clausewitz's life and times, but examines several related areas such as criticism of On War and advances in philosophy that relate to Clausewitz's goal, which is to teach a way to reenact war as a method of learning how to wage it.

The result is to give the reader of On War a better grounding on what Clausewitz was trying to say as a filter through which to read the text. It also provides a better understanding of Clausewitz and his critics.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read portions of this book before and was basically familiar with Sumida's general thesis, but never before approached it from start to finish as a coherent whole. I was a little surprised to discover several commonalities between what I thought were my own relatively novel interpretations and Sumida's revisionist claims, though there are several places where I think he expresses unjustified confidence in rather shaky interpretive assertions. On the whole, though, I think "Decoding Clausewitz" comes closer to understanding On War in its broad strokes than just about anything else I've read, and Sumida should be commended for the accomplishment.

[Martin Samuels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim volume provides a profound and accessible entry to understand some of Clausewitz's key approaches and novel suggestions. Sumida starts by assessing the evidence to suggest that the work we have now probably is a largely complete work, rather than being the early draft that some other writers have suggested. He then goes through a series of three-chapter assessment (the tripartite model surely being no accident, given Clausewitz's fascination by whta he called 'the trinity') - looking a theorists (Jomini, Corbett, and Liddell Hart), scholars (Aron, Paret, Gallie), antecedents, and key principles. Sumida's key point is that Clausewitz regarded war as something too complex for pure rational and mechanical models, as something where the the ability to command could be developed through a process of historical re-enactment (taking what is known of a historical situation, supplementing that with assumption based on expertise, and using this to get into the mind of the commander when having to make a decision), and as something where it is harder to attack a country than it is to defend it. Despite the significant and inherent complexity of the subject matter and concepts, Sumida presents his arguments in a manner that is clear and convincing. A vital work for any serious student of war.

[William Shep · Rating 2 out of 5]

The rest of us, through the generations, have it all wrong about Clausewitz. Only Sumida is smart enough to figure it out and thank God we have him to tell us.

[Richard Jahelka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating.