On War by Karl (Carl) von Clausewitz
Karl Von Clausewitz was an influential Prussian strategist who wrote that war is simply
a means to
a political end -- it's a normal part of a grander policy and should be conducted in the most
destructive manner possible. No surprise, then, that Clausewitz has been blamed for the increased
brutality of modern warfare. His ideas still influence strategic thinking, simply because the search
for military victory is not unlike the pursuit of success in other arenas.
What it teaches us: While war is the preferred and most effective means
of achieving a goal, it
should be a last resort. Though politicians start a war, it is the generals who must end it (think of
CEOs and COOs as their civilian equivalents). Most startlingly, it is not the attacking nation that
wants war, but the defending one. The attacking nation is happy to just annex the other.
Quote: "If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he pursues
his aims with audacity and
strength of will, he will reach them in spite of all obstacles."
Lessons from a samurai...
