Clausewitz, who fought in the Napoleonic wars, sought to understand and analyze the phenomenon of war so that future leaders could win conflicts more effectively. This abridged edition selects the books in which the nature and theory of war are developed and explains the originality his ideas.

This is the classic book on military strategy and war, addressing political, social and economic issues, written by the Prussian General Carl Von Clausewitz, between 1816 and 1830.

Although Carl von Clausewitz participated in many military campaigns, he was primarily a military theorist interested in the examination of war. On War is the West's premier work on the philosophy of war. Other soldiers before him had written treatises on various military subjects, but none undertook a great philosophical examination of war on the scale of Clausewitz's. On War is considered to be the first modern book of military strategy. This is due mainly to Clausewitz' integration of political, social, and economic issues as some of the most important factors in deciding the outcomes of a war. It is one of the most important treatises on strategy ever written, and continues to be required reading at many military academies.

Among the enormous oeuvre of Clausewitz the best-known work, by far, is the unfinished magnum opus On War. His works include many excellent writings on military history, of which The Campaign of 1812 in Russia is, assuredly, the masterpiece. This book is a superb first-hand account and analysis of the military disaster of 1812 and the characters who played a significant role in it. An eyewitness and participant in the war, Clausewitz' writing remains the most serious source on that campaign. Napoleon's campaign of 1812 against Russia was a crucial event in the Napoleonic history. At the beginning of 1812, Napoleon was at the peak of his glory. On the eve of the Russian campaign the majority of European diplomats thought that Napoleon would emerge victorious. The campaign, however, proved to be disastrous for the French Grand Arme. The Battle of Borodino, with heavy causalities on both sides, was probably the hardest fought battle of the Napoleonic era. Victory at Borodino gained Napoleon entry to Moscow only to end in catastrophe and the retreat of the French army in fall of the same year. The campaign of 1812 against Russia marked the beginning of the end of Napoleon's rule in Europe.Clausewitz is more than a military historian in the traditional sense. His concrete and objective analysis enables him to appreciate the situation in all its political, diplomatic and military ramifications. The Russian Campaign of 1812 will be of interest to historians, political scientists, and students of military history and strategy.

Does a proper respect for science require psychologists to view man as an impotent reactor whose responses are completely determined by his physical constitution and the forces impinging upon him? In this wise and well-argued book, Isidor Chein invites his readers to lift their eyes from experimental research for a time to consider the relationship between science and the image of man. Few psychologists, even the most gifted and dedicated among them, pause to consider the philosophical underpinnings of their work. It is almost as though the humanist secretly lurking in each of them is fearful of the bad news he might finally be forced to accept--that man is essentially an exquisitely complicated robot. This fear is misplaced and harmful. It is largely responsible for the disturbing fact that scientific psychology has produced, in Chein's estimate, so little that is relevant to the humanities, so little, as he puts it, "that has lived up to psychology's promise to itself." What must be more widely understood is that it does not follow that behavioral law is reducible to physiological law, or that physiological law is reducible to physical law. With an uncompromising commitment to scientific method, Chein shows that, when closely analyzed, there is actually no need to assume an unbridgeable gap between scientific psychology and psychoanalytic, humanistic psychology. This is a lucid and powerful theoretical work of importance for scholars in all fields sharing the belief that the proper study of mankind is man. "The Science of Behavior and the Image of Man is written by the most intellectually stimulating and respected representative of scientific humanistic psychology."--Robert B. Holt, Professor of Psychology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York University

Does a proper respect for science require psychologists to view man as an impotent reactor whose responses are completely determined by his physical constitution and the forces impinging upon him? In this wise and well-argued book, Isidor Chein invites his readers to lift their eyes from experimental research for a time to consider the relationship between science and the image of man.

Few psychologists, even the most gifted and dedicated among them, pause to consider the philosophical underpinnings of their work. It is almost as though the humanist secretly lurking in each of them is fearful of the bad news he might finally be forced to accept--that man is essentially an exquisitely complicated robot. This fear is misplaced and harmful. It is largely responsible for the disturbing fact that scientific psychology has produced, in Chein's estimate, so little that is relevant to the humanities, so little, as he puts it, "that has lived up to psychology's promise to itself."

What must be more widely understood is that it does not follow that behavioral law is reducible to physiological law, or that physiological law is reducible to physical law. With an uncompromising commitment to scientific method, Chein shows that, when closely analyzed, there is actually no need to assume an unbridgeable gap between scientific psychology and psychoanalytic, humanistic psychology. This is a lucid and powerful theoretical work of importance for scholars in all fields sharing the belief that the proper study of mankind is man.

"The Science of Behavior and the Image of Man "is written by the most intellectually stimulating and respected representative of scientific humanistic psychology.""--Robert B. Holt, Professor of Psychology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, "New York University"

"Isidor Chein" was professor of psychology at the Research Center for Human Relations, New York University. He is the author of "The Road to H, The Reactions of Jewish Boys to Various Aspects of Being Jewish," and "The Family of the Addict."

Among the enormous oeuvre of Clausewitz the best-known work, by far, is the unfinished magnum opus "On War." His works include many excellent writings on military history, of which "The Campaign of 1812 in Russia" is, assuredly, the masterpiece. This book is a superb first-hand account and analysis of the military disaster of 1812 and the characters who played a significant role in it. An eyewitness and participant in the war, Clausewitz' writing remains the most serious source on that campaign. Napoleon's campaign of 1812 against Russia was a crucial event in the Napoleonic history. At the beginning of 1812, Napoleon was at the peak of his glory. On the eve of the Russian campaign the majority of European diplomats thought that Napoleon would emerge victorious. The campaign, however, proved to be disastrous for the French Grand Arme. The Battle of Borodino, with heavy causalities on both sides, was probably the hardest fought battle of the Napoleonic era. Victory at Borodino gained Napoleon entry to Moscow only to end in catastrophe and the retreat of the French army in fall of the same year. The campaign of 1812 against Russia marked the beginning of the end of Napoleon's rule in Europe. Clausewitz is more than a military historian in the traditional sense. His concrete and objective analysis enables him to appreciate the situation in all its political, diplomatic and military ramifications. The Russian Campaign of 1812 will be of interest to historians, political scientists, and students of military history and strategy.

Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) is best known for his masterpiece of military theory On War, yet that work formed only the first three of ten volumes of his published writings. The others, historical analyses of the wars that roiled Europe from 1789 through 1815, informed and shaped Clausewitz's military thought, so they offer invaluable insight into his dialectical, often difficult theoretical masterwork. Among these historical works, perhaps the most important is Napoleon's 1796 Italian Campaign, which covers a crucial period in the French Revolutionary Wars. During this campaign the young, largely unknown Corsican, in his first command, led the French Army to triumph over the superior forces of the Austrian and Sardinian Armies. Moving from strategy to battle scene to analysis, this first English translation nimbly conveys the character of Clausewitz's writing in all its registers: the brisk, often powerful description of events as they unfolded; the critical reflections on strategic theory and its implications; and, most bracing, the dissection and sharp judgment of the actions of the French and Austrian commanders. From the thrill of the Battle of Montenotte-the youthful Bonaparte's first offensive-to the remorseless logic of Clausewitz's assessments, Napoleon's 1796 Italian Campaign will expand readers' experience and understanding of not only this critical moment in European history but also the thought and writings of the modern master of military philosophy.

"On War" is the most significant attempt in Western history to understand war, both in its internal dynamics and as an instrument of policy. Since the work's first appearance in 1832, it has been read throughout the world, and has stimulated generations of soldiers, statesmen, and intellectuals.

Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) is best known for his masterpiece of military theory On War, yet that work formed only the first three of his ten-volume published writings. The others, historical analyses of the wars that roiled Europe from 1789 through 1815, informed and shaped Clausewitz's military thought, so they offer invaluable insight into his dialectical, often difficult theoretical masterwork. Among these historical works, one of the most important is Der Feldzug von 1799 in Italien und der Schweiz, which covers an important phase of the French Revolutionary Wars. The Coalition Crumbles, Napoleon Returns focuses mainly on the campaigns in Switzerland, where the cracks that finally fractured the alliance between Russia and Austria and led to the defeat of the Second Coalition first opened. Moving from strategy to battle scene to analysis, this first English translation of volume 6 of Clausewitz's collected works nimbly conveys the character of Clausewitz's writing in all its registers: the brisk, often powerful description of events as they unfolded and the critical reflections on strategic theory and its implications. The Coalition Crumbles, Napoleon Returns features Suvorov's astonishing march through the St. Gotthard Pass and major actions such as the Second Battle of Zurich and the Battle of Mannheim. The nature of the campaign highlighted the contrast between the opposing armies' different strengths and weaknesses and the problems of fighting as part of a coalition. This book will expand readers' experience and understanding of not only this critical moment in European history but also the thought and writings of the modern master of military philosophy.