The Origins of Military Thought: From the Enlightenment to Clausewitz (Oxford Historical Monographs)

This book sheds new light on the origins and nature of modern military thinking. The ideas of Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831)--which remain at the core of strategic analysis today--have previously been examined apart from their 18th-century cultural and philosophical roots. Gat here demonstrates the extent to which culture affects military theory by relating a series of military thinkers to their cultural backgrounds. He also provides a provocative critique of Clausewitz's classic work On War , and demonstrates how the major currents of modern military thought have evolved from the cultural frameworks and historical outlooks of both the German Movement and the Enlightenment. Montecuccoli: The Impact Of Proto-science On Military Theory -- The Military Tinkers Of The French Enlightenment: The Quest For A General Theory Of War -- The Military Tinkers Of The German Aufklarung -- Through The Napoleonic Age -- The Reaction Against The Enlightenment: New Perspectives On Military Theory -- Clausewitz: Demolishing And Rebuilding The Theoretical Ideal -- Clausewitz: The Nature Of War -- Azar Gat. Rev. And Enl. Version Of The Author's Thesis (doctoral), St. Antony's College, Oxford University, 1984. Includes Bibliographical References. Relating a series of military thinkers to their cultural background, this study examines the origins of modern military thinking. Included is a critique of Clausewitz's classic work "On War", which offers insight into a period of European culture and warfare during the Napoleonic Age. This study relates the work of Clausewitz and other military thinkers to their cultural background, and demonstrates how the main currents of modern military thought have evolved from the cultural frameworks of the German Movement and the Enlightenment.