Abstract
Carl von Clausewitz’s trinity represents a qualitative test for strategy in both theory and practice. With the trinity, Clausewitz transforms competing influences into a mark of theoretical quality. Synthesizing several translations of Clausewitz’s On War and interpretations by experts such as Hew Strachan, Antulio J. Echevarria II, and Frank G. Hoffman, this article suggests that Clausewitz believed that good theory encompasses and accounts for all fundamental forces of war, whereas bad theory emphasizes the extremes of one force. The trinity compels mandatory considerations for students of theory, war planners, and practitioners.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.55540/0031-1723.3379
Recommended Citation
Lukas Milevski, "Strategic Theory and Clausewitz’s Trinitarian Test," Parameters 56, no. 1 (2026), doi:10.55540/0031-1723.3379.
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