Masters of War Classical Strategic Thought by Michael I. Handel, US Naval War College 1996 ¦ ¦ 320 pages ¦ ¦ ISBN 0 7146 4674 1 cloth £35.00/$47.50; 0 7146 4205 3 paper £17.50/$24.95 Second Revised Edition 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 Machiaveli. 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 is 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. This second, enlarged, edition contains a new chapter on the Clausewitzian principles of continuity and the culminating point of victory. There are also six new appendices. "Michael Handel's selection of side-by-side quotations from their principle works is both apposite and enlightening. Masters of War is therefore a handy addition to the library of anyone seriously interested in military affairs and strategic thought." Dov Zakheim, US Deputy Under Secretary of Defence 1981-1987 Table of ContentsList of maps, figures and tables Return to The Clausewitz Homepage
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