Clausewitz also was an early student of strategy and relied on similar empirical experience to develop and nurture his theories. His principles, which at some point formed the basis for military education, have influenced teaching in european and north american military academies through the 19th century. Jomini was a systemsoriented thinker who sought to derive principles that would have wide battlefield application. Is clausewitz or sun tzu more relevant to contemporary war. Clausewitz saw history in relative terms, rejecting absolute categories, standards, and values.
Therefore we get at the difficulty of operationalizing jomini versus clauswitz, prescriptive versus descriptive. In 1938, mao zedong organized an educational program based on the clausewitzian model. He was prescriptive, in the sense that he offered a formulaic approach through the use of geometric terminology, for. Library for their help locating and obtaining many of the listed references. Analysis and comparison of the ideas and later influences. Aside from their differing relationships to napoleon, the fundamental differences between clausewitz and jomini are rooted in their differing concepts of the historical process and of the nature and role of military theory.
Antoinehenri jomini, by george dawe, before 18265two implications arise from the dif ferences in the early stages of clause witz and jomini s careers as soldiers and theorists. Patton, rommel, montgomery, zhukov would certainly be mentioned in any conversation about world war ii. Clausewitz and jomini comparison clausewitz more accepted today. This is an apolitical forum for discussions on the axis nations and related topics hosted by the axis history factbook in cooperation with christian ankerstjernes panzerworld and christoph awenders ww2 day by day.
This was orignially an essay written for my war and diplomacy class. Liddell hart has accused clausewitz of having a suicidal obsession with the great battle, a criticism that applies equally to jomini. It is certainly of great importance for a general to keep his plans secret. Clausewitz, suntzu and thucydides 75 what strategy does strategy provides a theory of success. This essay is reproduced with minor editing from the 1854 american translation of jominis the artof war, trans. Jomini was studied by the participants of the american civil war extensively.
A iscussion on theory, mmp, and esign in the post oif army by christopher otero what this task requires in the way of higher intellectual gifts is a sense of unity and a power of judgment, raised to a marvelous pitch of vision, which easily grasps and dismisses a thousand. Jomini stresses a calculated, quantitative approach similar to how many political scientists. Finally, to my wife kerry and daughters emily and anna, thank you for your patience and understanding during all those periods when it probably felt like i lived at the library. Conversely, clausewitz recognized the situational nature of war and was suspicious of prescriptive maxims. Certainly napoleon and frederick the great would be spoken. See archives of the john murray company, manuscript index to v. It is a somewhat clumsy translation in places, which is probably why it has been entirely superseded.
States air force basic aerospace doctrine, air force manual 11. Publication date 1971 topics military art and science. Suntzu advocates a more subtle and indirect approach to the art of war while clausewitz advocates a more direct approach. What is the difference between the military theories of. This definition establishes violence as the root means of war, while also affirming that its purpose is to impose ones will on an adversary. Despite the fact that clausewitz wrote around 200 years ago howard, 2002, p. Writings are the accepted standard against to measure military action. Clausewitz, conflict resolution, policy, security, strategy, war abstract. Clausewitz, liddell hart, and the two western ways of war by tony corn a decade after 911, the new generation of u. Jomini and clausewitz had much in common, with their respective differences often exaggerated bassford 1993. Conversely, clausewitz recognized the situational nature of war and was.
Jomini, the art of war saass comps prep wiki fandom. Background key concepts of jomini to continental strategy jominis ideas and their validation on the nature of warfare contributions in advancing strategic. Along with clausewitz, jomini is considered one of the most prominent and influential strategists in the revolution of warfare during the napoleonic wars. Accentuated by mao tsetung in his on guerrilla warfare, military action is a method used to attain a political goal.
Suntzu advocates a more subtle and indirect approach to the art of war. Jomini, the political scientist, and clausewitz, the historian, present two competing ways to understand and study war. In terms of the original question it would have to be karl. A swiss citizen in napoleons service, jomini wrote profusely while becoming a general officer and chief of staff to marshal michel ney and then had a long career in the russian army. Since clausewitz on war was not concerned with the war preparations,10 the sun tzu clausewitz philosophy of the ruler, government government, people elements of nature terrain generalship military the commander and his army doctrine law table 1. Antoinehenri jomini, by george dawe, before 18265two implications arise from the dif ferences in the early stages of clause witz and jominis careers as soldiers and theorists. It is interesting and even surprising that the two major strategies regarding war were developed by european contemporaries of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century. It is the source of operational plans intended to convert nominal military capability into useful performance against the enemy. Although clausewitz focused his early writings on the need for governmental. Clausewitz then stated that the primary aim of a countrys military leadership was to launch a.
The major difference between jomini and clausewitz was that jomini focused far more on the art and mechanics of battle tactics. In reality, jomini and clausewitz saw much the same things in war, but saw them through very different eyes. As theory and as plan strategy explains how victory, or at least advantage, will be achieved. It also covers the main concepts contained in their greatest works and the influence they had on subsequent warfare and military thinking. As usual when we are given a choice between two such clear alternatives, neither really proves to be very useful and the truth lies somewhere else. Jomini, the political scientist, and clausewitz, the historian, present two competing. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. The influence of clausewitz on jominis swiss military net. Jomini s influence is traced through the american civil war to current military doclrinc. Foreign influence united states clausewitz influenced communist and soviet leaders such as karl marx, mao zedong, vladimir lenin, and friedrich engels. The works of clausewitz on war and jomini the art of war can both rightly.
An essay or paper on military strategy in the 19th century. Understanding operational art in american doctrine helps to illustrate a critical stage in american military history when the notion of fighting campaigns transformed into what many considered waging war. Clausewitz then stated that the primary aim of a countrys military leadership was to launch a major attack in which. Clausewitzs maxim that war is a continuation of political action mistranslated or not is, however, not a useful tool for nation not as centrally organized for war as was 19th century prussia. What are the main differences between the work of jomini. Clausewitz, jomini, and the birth of modern strategy fog.
Hamleys operations of war and military thought in the british army, 18661933. Thus jomini and clausewitz often appear either as opposites or as twins. During the era of the industrial revolution, focusing on the 19th century and well into the 20th, modern war, according to clausewitz, was politics by another means. Bacevich on douglas feith exercises central command choke point. The biggest distinction between the two seems to be their different approaches to the art of war. Jominis work during this time, particularly in the battles of jena and eylau, earned him the legion of honor. Jominis ideas were a staple at military academies, the united states military academy at west. Jomini s work during this time, particularly in the battles of jena and eylau, earned him the legion of honor. Understanding the nature and theory of war through jominis. Both suntzu and clausewitz have something to offer for the serious student of warfare. Tl is intended to be an introduction to the subject and not an indepth study. Milan vego is professor of operations in the joint. He was prescriptive, in the sense that he offered a formulaic approach through the use of geometric terminology, for example to developing a tactical approach to any given conflict.
Works stood the test of time and is applicable to the current world. Article information, pdf download for jomini versus clausewitz. This article argues that clausewitzs writing on war nearly 200 years ago is still relevant for contemporary conflict resolution from at least three aspects. Handel, however, did not limit his treatment to the two top classics, but dealt with colbert, jomini, machiavelli, mao, and thucydides on war as well. Unfortunately, the latter translation omits this revealing essay on the state of military theory as jomini perceived it around 1838.
Comparison of factors to be considered in war between sun tzu and clausewitz. Publication date 1971 topics military art and science publisher. Both men gained extensive military experience during the napoleonic and prussian wars, b. Dec 19, 2011 jomini analyzed warfare within the context of the eighteenth century enlightenment philosophy that sought to explain the world through applying reason, logic and rational thought to derive universal and enduring principles. Reflections on clausewitz and jomini small wars journal. Hamleys operations of war and military thought in the british army, 18661933 adam dighton war in history 2018 10. A close reading of this essay will reveal both overt sneers at clausewitz and many adaptations to the arguments clausewitz made in on war. Understanding the nature and theory of war through jomini.
But it was these critical differencesespecially in worldviews that best explain why clausewitz, and not jomini, reemerges today as the paramount authority on strategy. Jomini is generally seen as clausewitzs most influential competitor as a military theorist. Jomini analyzed warfare within the context of the eighteenth century enlightenment philosophy that sought to explain the world through applying reason, logic and rational thought to derive universal and enduring principles. Unfortunately, jomini made a mistake flailing his fist away at clausewitz. The author would like to thank the staff of the air university. Sun tzu and clausewitz are both acknowledged to be the most influential writers on the topic of war and strategy. Clausewitz theorizes war as a trinity between reason, violence, and chance, which act together in innumerable ways jomini believed in war by rules clausewitz was philosophical, jomini was prescriptive clausewitz was influenced by the romantic movement, jomini by des cartes applications to strategy. The articles and other content which appear on the modern war institute website are. Clausewitz and jomini introduction clausewitz defined war as an act of violence to force an opponent to fulfill our will. Contrasting intellectual frameworks in military theory. To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed the entire object, paste this html in website to link to this page, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this page, paste this html in website. When one thinks of war and of those who fight it, many names may come to mind.
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