The political object-the original motive for the war-will thus determine both the military objective to be reached and the amount of effort it requires.’ Carl von Clausewitz, On War (1976) ‘I may be permitted to call attention to the fact that my work furnishes for the first time a comprehensive review of the development of strategical science in the past century; but that it tries, besides, to give scientific reasons for the standpoint from which strategy is to be viewed at the present and in the near future … Theory is not dangerous in itself but it is the tabulating system which presses the spirit into a Spanish boot, instead of making it freer and stronger. There may certainly be doubts among clever and highly cultured men as to the boundary between legitimate theory and the illegitimate tabulated system, but any one who adopts Clausewitz as the true master and guide in his theoretical studies will surely never go grievously wrong.’ Lt.-Gen. Rudolf von Caemmerer, The Development of Strategical Science.
