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War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means.
Carl Von Clausewitz
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Interpretation

What this quote means

War is an extension of political conflict rather than a separate occurrence.

This quote by Carl Von Clausewitz suggests that war is fundamentally tied to political objectives and strategies. It indicates that rather than being an isolated event, war arises as a method for states or parties to pursue their political goals and resolve disputes when other means have failed or are deemed insufficient.

Themes

WarPoliticsConflictStrategyClausewitz

In practice

Example use cases

Use this quote in a discussion about the nature of international relations during a political science class.

More from Carl Von Clausewitz

War is the province of chance. In no sphere of human activity is such a margin to be left for this intruder. It increases the uncertainty of every circumstance, and deranges the course of events.
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The object of defense is preservation; and since it is easier to hold ground than to take it, defense is easier than attack. But defense has a passive purpose: preservation; and attack a positive one: conquest.... If defense is the stronger form of war, yet has a negative object, it follows that it should be used only so long as weakness compels, and be abandoned as soon as we are strong enough to pursue a positive object.
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Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.
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But the main point is that soldiers, after fighting for some time, are apt to be like burned-out cinders. They have shot off their ammunition, their numbers have been diminished, their strength and their morale are drained, and possibly their courage has vanished as well. As an organic whole, quite apart from their loss in numbers, they are far from being what they were before the action; and thus the amount of reserves spent is an accurate measure on the loss of morale.
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The more a general is accustomed to place heavy demands on his soldiers, the more he can depend on their response.
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If the enemy is to be coerced, you must put him in a situation that is even more unpleasant than the sacrifice you call on him to make. The hardships of the situation must not be merely transient - at least not in appearance. Otherwise, the enemy would not give in, but would wait for things to improve.
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