Clausewitz s On War, first published in 1832, remains the classic study of the nature and conditions of warfare. Best remembered for his pronouncement that war is a continuation of politics by other means and for his observations on total war, he gave a new philosophical foundation to the art of war. Complex and often misunderstood, Clausewitz has fascinated and influenced generations of politicians and strategic thinkers. Beatrice Heuser s comprehensive study is the first book on how to read Clausewitz and how others have read him?from the military commanders in World War I through Lenin and Mao Zedung to strategists in the nuclear age. The result is an accessible and illuminating introduction to the most influential study of the art of war.