Foreign Languages Press

Carl von Clausewitz is one of the greatest military thinkers of all time. His analysis extends beyond the realm of specific historical experiences and develops military theory to a high level of generalization. Studying the relationship between war and politics—the interplay between the military command, the civil government, and the people, as well as the phenomena that lead to or hinder the escalation of violence—Clausewitz amassed a substantial and original body of work, which gained increasing recognition from the end of the 19th century. But it was not within the ranks of the military command that Clausewitz’s thinking had the greatest impact. Instead, his closest readers were to be found among the theoreticians and practitioners of people’s and revolutionary war. While Clausewitz’s influence on Lenin has long been documented, the imprint of his ideas on Engels, Mao, Giáp, and others has remained relatively unknown. The first French edition of "Clausewitz and the People’s War" illuminated this influence and made it possible, beyond the history of ideas, to approach questions of revolutionary warfare from unexplored angles, and creatively engage in current and historical military debates.

This English translation is a revised and extended version of the original 2004 edition in French. It includes additional articles and a glossary, as well as a historical chart of political and military organizations, revolutionary and people’s wars from the Napoleonic era to today.