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This thesis aims to analyze the dynamics between civilian and military leadership in Germany through the lens of Clausewitz's theories.

June 3, 2026Open Access

War Without Policy: Clausewitz and the German Army 1866-1914

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This thesis aims to analyze the dynamics between civilian and military leadership in Germany through the lens of Clausewitz's theories.
Examined historical documents and military theories from the timeframe of 1866 to 1914.
Analyzed the attitudes of German Army leaders towards civilian policy and Clausewitz's principles.
Critically evaluated the implications of military independence on the German way of war.
Found that German Army leaders consistently rejected the influence of civilian policy on military decisions.
Demonstrated that this rejection creates an anti-Clausewitzian approach to warfare.
Highlighted the implications of prioritizing institutional independence over sound military theory.

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This thesis examines German civil-military relations, revealing military theory's subordination to institutional independence.

Kiran Pfitzner (2022) studied this question.

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