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Jon Tetsuro Sumida, Decoding Clausewitz: A New Approach to "On War". Kansas: University Press, 2008. Pp. 234. $29.95.
In Decoding Clausewitz, Jon Sumida identifies and summarizes the usual observations and criticisms of Clausewitz's seminal work: that On War is an incomplete scientific analysis of warfare, that Clausewitz's main point is "war is continuation of policy by other means," that human factors are significant in military decision making, and that On War is so sketchy in presentation it can only serve as an eclectic depository of quotable military wisdom. Sumida counters these claims by arguing that the seemingly incomplete nature of On War is deceiving. In some 1830 notes, Clausewitz admittedly encouraged selective use of his existing work, which has lead some military historians to think his work is only partially useful. Sumida challenges this view by arguing that in a 1827 note, Clausewitz revealed that he intended to "bring about a revolution in the theory of war" by writing the first six books of On War (xiv)....