What Did Thucydides, Sun-Tzu and Clausewitz Really Say? Cover Image

Čo vlastne Thukydides, Sun-C’ a Clausewitz povedali?
What Did Thucydides, Sun-Tzu and Clausewitz Really Say?

The issue of contradictory interpretations in the context of military strategy

Author(s): Samuel Žilinčík, Ivo Pikner, Jaroslav Staněk
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Security and defense
Published by: Univerzita obrany
Keywords: Strategy; Thucydides; Sun-Tzu; Clausewitz; Interpretation

Summary/Abstract: Classical strategic theorists constitute an important pillar of military strategy education, but their texts are often interpreted in contradictory ways. This article aims to draw attention to the problem of contrasting interpretations, focusing on the interpretations of Thucydides, Sun-Tzu and Clausewitz. The article surveys popular interpretations of these classics, identifies the main differences between them, and uses deductive logic to draw out the implications of this state of affairs for the study of military strategy.

  • Issue Year: 22/2022
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 51-62
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Slovak