Masters of War: Classical Strategic Thought - Hardcover

Handel, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0714646741 ISBN 13: 9780714646749

Publisher: Routledge, 1996

Synopsis

This is a study based on a detailed textual analysis of the classical works on war by Clausewitz and Sun Tzu and to a lesser extent by Jamini and Machiavelli. The author takes a fresh look at what these thinkers actually said - not what they are widely believed to have said. He finds that despite their apparent differences in terms of time, place, cultural background and level of material and technological development, all had much in common. The central conclusion of this book is that the logic of waging war and of strategic thinking is universal. This second, enlarged edition contains a new chapter on the Clausewitzian principles of continuity and the culminating point of victory.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Masters of War is the first comprehensive study based on a detailed textual analysis of the classical works on war by Clausewitz and Sun Tzu, and to a lesser extent, by Jomini and Machiavelli. Brushing stereotypes aside, the author takes a fresh look at what these strategic thinkers actually said - not what they are widely believed to have said. He finds that despite their apparent differences in terms of time, place, cultural background, and level of material/technological development, all had much more in common than previously supposed. In fact, the central conclusion of this book is that the logic of waging war and of strategic thinking is as universal and timeless as human nature itself.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0714646741
• ISBN 13: 9780714646749
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 344