Cliffs Notes Carl

Welcome to the first episode of Center of Gravity! A podcast exploring themes in grand strategy and international relations, with a side of humor and pop culture analysis. In this episode, we unpack Carl von Clausewitz’s seminal book On War, going over major themes as well as ongoing scholarly debates. 

One of the most famous (and controversial) thinkers on the nature of war, strategy, and leadership, Carl von Clausewitz casts a long shadow. Yet the complex, and at times contradictory nature of his theory makes it difficult to digest, and highly susceptible to misrepresentation. This episode lays out some of the basic ideas presented by Clausewitz, ranging from the political nature of war, to the role of genius among commanders. Whether you are a seasoned Clausewitz enthusiast or if you have never heard about On War until today, we hope this episode will draw out new insights, and clarify some of the more challenging aspects of Clausewitz’s thought process.