Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz (1780–1831) was a Prussian officer who served in the tumultuous era of the Napoleonic Wars. Captured early in his career, he later fought in major campaigns, worked as a staff officer, and eventually directed the Prussian War Academy, where he fused practical experience with intellectual inquiry. His reflections became On War, an unfinished but monumental work edited and published by his wife, Marie von Brühl, after his death from cholera. The book remains a cornerstone of military education and has influenced not only generals and politicians but also strategists in business, diplomacy, and security studies.