The Art of War

By Antoine-Henri de Jomini, Baron De Jomini, George H (George Henry) Mendell

Book Overview

"The Art of War" by Baron Henri de Jomini is a seminal work on military strategy and tactics, offering timeless insights into the art and science of warfare. A foundational text in military history, Jomini's treatise delves into the principles of military science, providing a comprehensive overview of strategic thinking. This meticulously prepared edition presents Jomini's classic analysis of warfare, exploring key concepts applicable across various historical conflicts. Focusing on military strategy, "The Art of War" remains relevant for anyone interested in understanding the enduring principles that govern success on the battlefield. Whether you are a student of military history or simply fascinated by the complexities of warfare, Jomini's work offers a valuable and enduring perspective. This volume is an essential addition to any library, providing a deep dive into the strategies that have shaped military campaigns throughout history.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1022934325
• ISBN13: 9781022934320
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Insightful and Disturbing

This is the third in the Special Edition series on "The Art of War" that I have read, and it was certainly the most graphic so far. Sun Tzu's The Art of War describes generalizations which can be applied to strategy, to battle, or virtually any life situation involving conflict. Not so with Machiavelli or Baron de Jomini. Their versions of The Art of War draw upon the teachings of Sun Tzu with respect to strategy, but the similarities would seem to end there. de Jomini was a brilliant strategist, and a ruthless general. If you enjoy this book, you should go on to read "The Art of War" by Machiavelli, if not the full series. It seems that every age produces a "larger than life" general who intuitively grasps the intricacies of war, and I doubt many people will dispute that de Jomini surpassed even Napoleon's thirst for conquest.

A Great "How-To" Book for Operational Commanders

Jomini's "The Art of War" is a great contrast to Clauswitz's "On War." Clauswitz rambles on and on to get to a philosophical point of various military topics. Now this is important of course, and Clauswitz is good for military thinkers. But I like Jomini because he writes for military "doers." This book is a great instruction manuel for operational commanders, as an instruction manuel is to a model kit builder. "The Art of War" covers and defines in Chapter 1 the different types of wars: offensive, defensive, etc. In Chapter 2 Jomini discusses Military Policy, Chapter 3 is on Strategy and Tactics, Chapter 4 Grand Tactics and Battles, Chapters 5 and 6 Geographic and Logistical challenges, and Chapter 7 Troop Battle Dispositions. Unlike other prominent books on war (by Clauswitz and Sun Tzu) the best part of Jomini's "The Art of War" is that it includes sketches of different orders of battle (Chapter 4). For the brand-new reader of military science this is INVALUABLE because it shows what a flank attack is, an oblique order, a concave order a.k.a double envelopement, and echelon order, to name just a few. Why are these important? Because every Great Captain--Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Caesar, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon--have used at least one of these "universal" strategies to beat a larger enemy. I say "universal" because no matter what time period war is fought, from ancient times to the Persian Gulf War, these strategies can be used over and over again. Technology and tactics are always changing; strategies are the constant. Jomini brilliantly found these universal battle strategies, and wrote them for us! Although he focuses mostly on Frederick's and Napoleon's wars (Jomini fought with Napoleon, the big--er...little man himself!)the author's strategies that he laid out were also used by Alexander the Great (the Greek conqueror used the echelon order to defeat the Persians at Issus) and Hannibal of Carthage (the Romans were annihilated at Cannae by Hannibal's double envelopement). For me this book is the best scrutiny of operational strategy and military doctrine. It gets to the point. Much of it is written for the 19th century reader but the strategies and principles are very important today. American soldiers sweeped away Saddam's army in 2003 by using enveloping maneuvers and fantastic logistical organization (see Chapter 4 and 6 for info on these topics!). Jomini's book is as pertinent today as it was back during the American Civil War.

Napoleon's Battles - A Study of Genius

Contained in the pages of this book are the most authoritative descriptions of Napoleon's battles ever put on paper. De Jomini was an eyewitness to most of Napoleon's important battles, and privy to the machinations of the Great Man himself. As a member of Napoleon's staff and a keen observer, de Jomini's descriptions of the battles are widely recognized by military experts to be both accurate and insightful. For an in-depth examination of the tactics and strategy of one of the greatest generals of all time, de Jomini's "Art of War" is unsurpassed. It demonstrates the state of the military art that preceded the American Civil War. Doubtless, the Civil War generals on both sides of the conflict were familiar with this book. As one of the landmark volumes of military science, this book is still essential to every student of tactics and strategy. The lessons it presents, in its descriptions of Napoleon's battles, are as timeless as the reputation of the genius who crafted them.