Antoine Henri de Jomini vs Carl von Clausewitz

It is interesting and even surprising that the two major strategies regarding war were developed by European contemporaries of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century. Antoine Henri de Jomini (1779-1869) approached his philosophy of war in a structured, scientific manner. Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) took a more fluid, open-ended approach to his philosophy of war. The fact that they lived during the same time period in Europe is also fascinating in that they likely knew of each others’ writings as well as potentially influenced and were influenced by the philosophy of the other. Jomini’s scientific approach is more applicable to the tactical and operational levels of war while Clausewitz approaches war as more of an art or interaction between people that is more appropriate to the strategic and political levels of war. Although their two war strategies are presented as opposing strategies, by comparing concepts from each of the theorists to the other theorist’s work shows that they are actually more complementary than competing in that they are addressing different levels of war. The concepts to be evaluated are Clausewitz’s “Trinity of War”, “war as a continuation of politics”, and the “unpredictability of war” as well as Jomini’s definition of strategy and his “Fundamental Principle of War”.

The first concept is Clausewitz’s Trinity of War which is comprised of “…three categories of forces: irrational forces…; non-rational forces…; and reason or rational calculation…” [Bassford, pg 205]. The irrational forces are hostility and violence that originate mainly with the people and are the impetus of a political solution that may result in war. The non-rational forces refer to chance and probability which are primarily...

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... from reoccurring in Afghanistan.” [Sobchak, pg 239]

The war strategies of Carl von Clausewitz and Antoine Henri de Jomini are not mutually exclusive philosophies. Clausewitz’s “Trinity of War”, “war as an extension of politics”, and the “unpredictability of war” speak more so to the upper, strategic and political ranges of war. Jomini addresses the operational and tactical levels in the lower ranges of war with his definition of strategy and his “Fundamental Principle of War”. So if one views their work collectively rather than as competitors, the two philosophies complement each other by addressing different segments of the spectrum of war.

Works Cited

Jomini, A., Lesson 3, Reading 1.

Douhet, G., Lesson 3, Reading 2.

Warden, J., Lesson 3, Reading 3.

Bassford, C., Lesson 4, Reading 1.

Beyerchen, A., Lesson 4, Reading 2.

Sobchak, F., Lesson 4, Reading 3.