"These principles, though the result of long thought and continuous
study of the history of war... will not so much give complete
instruction to Your Royal Highness, as they will stimulate and serve as
a guide for your own reflections." -Carl von Clausewitz, Principles of
War, 1812
Written over two hundred years ago, many consider Principles of War
(1812) one of the great books on war. Prussian military theorist Carl
von Clausewitz, while being the military tutor of sixteen-year-old
Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, wrote this essay for the
prince's education on war, its tactics, and strategy. The current
edition was translated by German American historian Hans W. Gatzke and
originally released in 1942.