Clausewitz

Carl Phillip Gottleib von Clausewitz (1780-1831) Prussian general and military theorist is most famous for his book <I>On War</I> a work that has influenced numerous wartime leaders from Lenin to Henry Kissinger. Parkinson's biography of Clausewitz provides detailed examinations of the Napoleonic battles in which he participated and which shaped his theories of warfare. Parkinson describes Clausewitz's first experiences in combat as a twelve-year-old cadet in battles with France along the Rhine. The biography follows Clausewitz during the years of Napoleon's rise when disgusted with the Prussian King's refusal to fight he joined the Russian army and witnessed Napoleon's defeat following the destruction of Moscow and several harrowing months of battle. The book also includes in-depth descriptions of the battles following Napoleon's return in which Clausewitz put his theories into practice against Napoleon's marshals.