Clausewitz has long been one of the key figures in Western discussions of war, strategy and politics. But while many quote him, few really understand him. He has a reputation for being too abstract and too difficult to read - the 'fog of Clausewitz'. On Clausewitz dispels that fog, outlining his essentially simple ideas in clear and comprehensive fashion. It sets his ideas in the context of the revolution in war in his time and examines his relevance to the transformation of war in our time. This assessment of Clausewitz examines the claims of his critics and asks whether changes now under way in warfare, politics and society will make him irrelevant. Hugh Smith concludes that Clausewitz's ideas on the character of warfare, the dilemmas of strategy, the interaction of war and politics as well as the place of war in human society remain essential to understanding war and conflict.