Carl von Clausewitz Resources (original) (raw)
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INTRODUCTION: The Prussian military thinker Carl von Clausewitz is widely acknowledged as the most important of the classical strategic thinkers. Even though he's been dead for nearly two centuries, he remains a powerful living influence: the most frequently cited, the most controversial, and in many respects the most modern of strategic theorists. This website and its academic sister ClausewitzStudies.org are intended as a central source for information, articles, and arguments about the man and his ideas. It also includes a great deal of ancillary information (e.g., on Clausewitz-related tourism, graphics, humor) that may be of use to those researching, writing, or teaching about Clausewitz. It is designed to accommodate anyone interested in understanding human strategies, including not only scholarly researchers on Clausewitz but also students and faculty in professional military education (PME) institutions, business schools, and other organizations concerned with human competition and conflict. [Note that many of the links on this site point to materials maintained by ClausewitzStudies.org.]
MAIN CONTENT — To access our main content categories, see the navigation bar at the top of your screen. The categories are: Videos, Graphics, FAQs, and Bookstores (which originate from Clausewitz.com), and Readings, Texts, and Bibliographies (which are provided by ClausewitzStudies.org). The "Search" feature covers both websites.
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HOW TO ASTOUND YOUR FRIENDS BY CORRECTLY WRITING AND SAYING CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ'S NAME
Clausewitz spelled his first name with a C, not a K, in order to stress his adherence to the classical Western cultural tradition. People who spell it with a K—especially a) non-Germans who are at war with Germany, and b) Imperialists and Nazis who wish to anachronistically recruit him to their own foul causes—are usually looking to emphasize his Teutonic roots.
As his tombstone indicates, Clausewitz's full name was most probably Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz (not Carl Philipp Gottlieb von Clausewitz , though his handwritten birth record has been interpreted that way). His name was definitely not "Carl Maria von Clausewitz." The latter is a perfectly good German male name, especially for Catholics, but Clausewitz was a Protestant.
The von literally means "of." When used in surnames it indicates a family's claim to noble status. It is pronounced like the English word "fun" (even though this feels odd to people who find it hard to imagine that Clausewitz had a sense of humor) or "Fon," as in "der Fonz." Do not capitalize the von. When referring to Clausewitz using only his last name, do not include the von—say "we think Clausewitz had it wrong when he said...." rather than "we agree with Von Clausewitz when he writes...." List his last name alphabetically under C, not v: "Clausewitz, Carl von."
The proper pronunciation of Clausewitz's name is provided here.
It's amazing how much sticking to these guidelines this will impress pin-headed academics--like, say, the nice people at Clausewitz.com--and other well educated jerks and foreign scum. (Hey, we are trying our best to fit ourselves into the cultural milieu of contemporary Trumpistan.)
Some Featured Items on Our Sister Site, ClausewitzStudies.org
Blog: Steve ["Doctrine Man"] Leonard, "'You Really Think I'm Irrelevant? LOL.' A Letter to Clausewitz Haters from Beyond The Grave."
Info: "Clausewitz and His Works." A comprehensive discussion.
Paper: Christopher Bassford, "Clausewitz's Categories of War and the Supersession of 'Absolute War.'" What?!! "Ideal War" and "Absolute War" aren't the same thing? No wonder we're confused.
Article: Jon T. Sumida, "The Clausewitz Problem."
Article: C. Bassford, "John Keegan and the Grand Tradition of Trashing Clausewitz." A Polemic.
Article: Alan D. Beyerchen, "Clausewitz, Nonlinearity and the Unpredictability of War." Discusses a crucially important scientific aspect of Clausewitz's world view.
Paper: C. Bassford, "Tiptoe Through the Trinity." Or "The Strange Persistence of Trinitarian Warfare."
Review Essay: Bruno Colson, "Clausewitz for Every War." Covers a range of important modern writing on Clausewitz.
List: Clausewitz Conferences
Guidance: Indexes to On War
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