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Karl von Clausewitz

Karl von Clausewitz

1 9.9
A Prussian army leader and military thinker known for the idea that war continues politics by other means
  • proper noun
: Karl von Clausewitz
  • The phrase 'war is the continuation of politics by other means' is often attributed to Karl von Clausewitz.

Examples

  • Karl von Clausewitz's famous book 'On War' remains influential in strategic studies.

  • Many military academies require students to study the theories of Karl von Clausewitz.

  • The theories of Karl von Clausewitz are still studied today.

  • Have you read Karl von Clausewitz's book on war?

  • Karl von Clausewitz's famous book 'On War' remains influential in strategic studies.

  • Many military academies require students to study the theories of Karl von Clausewitz.

  • The phrase 'war is the continuation of politics by other means' is often attributed to Karl von Clausewitz.

Synonyms

Clausewitz
vsKarl von Clausewitz
3 9.9

A Prussian general and military thinker who said war continues politics by other means

is the full formal name including title elements rather than the short surname

Surface Forms

Morphology

Karl + von + Clausewitz

This is a proper name rather than a compositional phrase; knowing the constituents 'Karl', 'von' (a German nobiliary particle), and 'Clausewitz' does not let a learner infer the encyclopedic meaning that he was a Prussian general and military theorist. The biographical and doctrinal information is world knowledge, not derivable from the parts, so the expression is opaque to B1 learners.

Etymology

Karl von Clausewitz was a soldier and writer from the early 1800s who thought deeply about war. He said that 'war is the continuation of politics by other means', so imagine leaders using armies when talks fail, and his name now stands for ideas about strategy and the political side of war.