Since he first set forth his ideas in the early nineteenth century, General Carl von Clausewitz's theories of war have influenced generations of military leaders and policy makers throughout the Western world. On War is widely regarded as Clausewitz’s premier work on the philosophy of war and the first modern book of military strategy. The work is controversial–it has been blamed for the massive casualties in World Wars I and II–yet it remains required reading at many military academies. Its enduring relevance can be explained by Clausewitz's integration of political, social, and economic issues as some of the most important factors in deciding the outcomes of a war.
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