Principles of War

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

I. Principles For War In General

II. Tactics Or The Theory Of Combat

1. General Principles For Defense

2. General Principles For Offense

3. Principles Governing The Use of Troops

4. Principles For The Use Of Terrain

III. Strategy

1. General Principles

2. Defensive

Written two centuries ago by a Prussian military thinker, this is the most frequently cited, the most controversial, and in many ways, the most modern book on warfare. The author fought against the armies of the French Revolution and Napoleon, served as a staff officer, and became a prominent military educator. In this work, he examines moral and psychological aspects of warfare, stressing the necessity of courage, audacity, and self-sacrifice, as well as the importance of morale and public opinion. He emphasizes the notion of strategy as an evolving plan, rather than a formula, a concept adaptable to modern strategists in fields beyond military science.