Clausewitz Theory on War and Its Applicability Today

The renowned theorist of war, Carl von Clausewitz, stated that a certain grasp of military affairs is vital for those in charge of general policy. Recognizing the reality that government leaders are not military experts, he went on to say "the only sound expedient is to make the commander-in-chief a member of the cabinet." Many governments are so organized, including the United States, whose Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is, by law, the top military advisor to the President. The U.S. record of military success in this century indicates that Clausewitz was right. The stronger the relationship between the nation's senior military commanders and the government, the more effective the nation is at using the military instrument of foreign policy to achieve national political objectives. The strength of that relationship depends on the Commander's ability to communicate and the statesmen's ability to grasp the inherent linkage between the nature of war, the purpose of war, and the conduct of war. Clausewitz called this linkage a paradoxical trinity with three aspects: the people, the commander and his army, and the government. The people have to do with the nature of war, the military with the conduct of war, and the government with the purpose of war. This paper addresses how Clausewitzian theory applies to America's recent history, and how the theory that holds true may be applied to future situations in which the military instrument is considered or used in foreign policy.