Quote:
Originally Posted by smrk2
Badger, why do you have such a high opinion of Clausewitz? If he wrote plainly (ie sans the Hegelian dialectics), On War would have been a 20 page pamphlet.
Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.
Karl Von Clausewitz
John Boyd one of my mentors (Interestingly Boyd's best work turns out to be less then a 20 page pamphlet and some slides) spent much time bashing Clausewitz. I spent more hours then a care to even try to compute studying and discussing Clausewitz.
Unlike Boyd who had a love hate relationship with everything in life, I came more and more to respect Clausewitz's work. It is brilliant. Not an easy read and not easy to assimilate, but Boyd's work was not either. I came to understand that Boyd was so committed to "maneuver warfare" that he felt he needed to completely intellectually destroy Clausewitz's work. Boyd was absolutely right about some serious philosophical flaws in Clausewitz's work but that doesn't mean that there is not great value to a military commander or historian to study his work.
I think Napoleon's is overrated, that has not stopped me from spending a great deal of time studying his tactics in particular his use of mobility, something that the Mongols excelled in as well.
If I could take one document back in time with me to try to rule the world with my GOAT Military Commander............
The Thirty-Six Stratagems would be my first choice. It is a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, as well as in civil interaction, often through unorthodox or deceptive means.
Briefings by - Colonel John R. Boyd, USAF would be my 2nd choice.
Sun Tzu would be my 3rd choice.
Written in 1989 as a philosophical and strategic guide-book for the US. Marine Corps, Warfighting, would be my next choice.
To round out my top, 5 list would be Clausewitz.
If this thread is of great interest to you, all the documents above are no-brainer to check out. Boyd stuff can be secured online for free as well as the Marine Corps, Warfighting manual.These are powerful documents that many of the people closest to John Boyd felt was too dangerous to provide to easy access. I know if I could go back in time I would certainly want to keep these documents to myself as they are roadmap to being a military GOAT.
Never forget that no military leader has ever become great without audacity.
Karl Von Clausewitz