United States Army

Clausewitz, on Shakespeare United States Army

Carl Von Clausewitz advises us in his book, On War that the distinctive feature of the great generals is "genius," the ability to see through the ''fog of war" and make the correct decision at the critical time. If one agrees that war is as much art as it is science, then it would make sense to develop those parts of our personality and intellect that deal with artistry so that whatever level of genius we are blessed with may be fully realized. The approach this study recommends is the inclusion of literature, fiction, in professional development programs as this offers the best possibility for addressing and understanding the "essential truths" of the profession of arms. The examples used are two plays by Shakespeare, Othello and Henry V, Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Roger Malvin's Burial," and Herman Melville's novel Billy Budd.