The Clausewitzian Trinity in the Information Age: A Just War Approach
Abstract
Clausewitz's "remarkable trinity" has long been a touchstone for military realist discourse. Similarly, the just war tradition has long been a touchstone for moral discourse relating to war. Although these touchstones represent two intellectual traditions which may appear to have little or nothing in common, the 21st-century strategist or policymaker must take into account the imperatives of both traditions. This is so because, in the Information Age, public reactions to perceived moral shortcomings associated with the decision to go to war, or with perceived moral lapses on the battlefield, can significantly disrupt the balance that the "remarkable trinity" requires. Accordingly, this study takes as its task to propose a model that accommodates both military realist and just war concerns. It examines two popular interpretations of Clausewitz's "remarkable trinity." It then examines two much older trinitarian social models, which it uses as guides to discover what a model of the convergence of military realist and just war thought might look like. It then proposes a revised model of the "remarkable trinity" that accommodates just war concerns. It concludes with some reflections on contemporary applications of the model, especially as they relate to the instruments of national power.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 09, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA471540
Entities
People
- John M. Mattox
Organizations
- United States Army War College