Profiles in Strategy Episode 33: Karl Von Clausewitz
May 30, 2023
Vanya Bellinger, academic at the U.S. Naval War College and Clausewitz scholar, guides a lively tour of Carl and Marie von Clausewitz. She explores Clausewitz’s Prussian roots and military practice. She examines his links to reformers like Scharnhorst and why Prussian reforms later failed. She highlights Marie’s editorial role and how On War took shape.
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Clausewitz’s Early Drive For Theory
- Clausewitz began writing war theory as a young officer well before Jena-Auerstedt and Napoleon's victories shocked Prussia.
- He wrestled early with whether Napoleonic total war represented a new, universal model or one form among many.
Product And Critic Of Prussian Reform
- Clausewitz both criticized and emerged from the Prussian reform movement, blending reform-era ideas with his own critiques.
- This tension produced his key notion that politics must lead war and shape military aims.
From Provincial Officer To Scharnhorst’s Protege
- Clausewitz arrived at the Berlin academy as a provincial officer and discovered he was no longer the smartest in the room.
- Gerhard von Scharnhorst recognized merit over birth and opened opportunities that shaped Clausewitz's career.
