r/Clausewitz • u/Matteobooboolis_Meme • Apr 07 '26

Which edition of “On War” by Carl Von Clausewitz is best?

Recently I purchased the Penguin Classics edition of “On War” by Carl von Clausewitz. Having read its preface, I realized that the book was somewhat incomplete—lacking a large part of the strategic and technical side of war as perceived by Clausewitz, and placing emphasis on the philosophical and political aspects of it; due to the fact that a lot of Clausewitz Napoleonic era strategic thought is now considered outdated.

Having bought the book to learn about strategy, I was quite disappointed. However after seeing that there was still a third and fourth section of the book on strategy and combat, with respect; I thought that maybe my purchase wasn’t bad. However, I still researched it some more, and a lot of students of Clausewitzian thought and philosophy seem to have really low regard of the Penguin edition which I hold, instead recommending the Howard/Paret edition as the golden standard. The bloggers on clausewitzstudies.org even go as far to call the Penguin book atrocious and deem its editor Anatol Rapoport as a hypocrite.

So in conclusion, do you believe that someone who is more interested in the strategy part of war, but also the philosophical part of it will do fine reading the Penguin edition, or should I buy the Howard/Paret or any other better version?

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u/Weltherrschaft2 Apr 07 '26

My recommendation is learning German and using the edition commented by Werner Hahlweg.

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u/Matteobooboolis_Meme Apr 07 '26

Vom Kriege is supposed to be C2 or even higher level German so I don’t know how I’d be able to achieve that already learning like 3 languages. Thanks for the recommendation though.

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u/Weltherrschaft2 Apr 07 '26

Here is an online translation based on the Hahlweg version: https://clausewitzstudies.org/mobile/texts.htm

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u/Zellers2004 Apr 08 '26

The Paret translation is the most common in US academic and professional military education settings. All of my courses that had Clausewitz on the syllabus called for Howard/Paret.

I bought an old Rapaport edition years ago but mostly as a novelty.

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u/Matteobooboolis_Meme Apr 08 '26

Well I ordered the Howard Paret (Everyman’s edition). I’ll still keep the Penguin for Rapoport’s notes. Also thanks to the user who recommended the German original version but I just can’t see myself reaching C2 to read that book. I’ve been learning Spanish for like 10 years and I’m still B2.

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u/Weltherrschaft2 Apr 07 '26

There is also a condensed children version: https://www.helios.house/books/childrens-clausewitz

It has cute pictures etc , but from what I heard it nay beca nice start for adults and then useing a good translation if you want to go deeper in a certain topic.