Frederick the Great Book Review

Frederick the Great Book Review

Luvaas, Jay (Editor). Frederick the Great on the Art of War. New York; Da Capo Press:

First Da Capo Press Edition, 1999.

Germany is such a powerful nation-state today, and played such a decisive role in shaping the map of Europe during the 20th century, it is easy to forget that it is a land with a fairly recent birth date. Germany was forged, over the course of the late 18th and early 19th century, as the result of the mighty nature of the Prussian military regime. At the helm of these forces during the conception of Prussia, the region that was to give birth to the men who created the core, military backbone of modern German regime, the Prussian general and leader Frederick the Great stands proud. Frederick is widely considered one of the greatest generals ever to have lived, and his writings on the reasons for his success are compiled in Frederick the Great on the Art of War.

Not an author per se, Frederick's musings about war are assembled to give insight as to how Frederick formulated his strategy over the course of his most famous and unexpected success, Prussia's triumph during the Seven Years War. Prussia was, as detailed by historian Gordon Craig, later to become one of the most important influences upon the European continent. The foundation of the militaristic Prussian state was considered to be the founding, political moment that began what might be said to constitute 'modern' German history. Prussia's success under Frederick allowed for the creation of the state that was to be so influential over the course of the 20th century and today. (Craig, 1964) Frederick's efficiency and attention to detail are remarkable, comprising everything from how soldiers should be positioned during long marches to the placement of cannons.

Frederick's military advice comprises everything from tactical positioning of cavalry in relation to the front lines of foot soldiers as to how much bread and alcohol is required to keep the troops fortified strong in body and spirit. Much of Frederick's military advice is, of course, largely obsolete for modern generals. However, it does give the reader important information as how warfare was conducted during the period, and why Prussia and later, Germany, were so famed for their meticulous approaches to warfare. Frederick's attention to detail and his ability to make maximum use of a small fighting force also gives insight as to how the famous leader Bismarck was able to command the much smaller Prussian Army and overcome France, as chronicled by Michael Howard in the Franco-Prussian War. Frederick stresses how mental acumen on the part of a general can overcome small numbers.

Historians such as Roger Chickering imply that the divided nature of Germany is one of the reasons for its later defeat in World War I, but read in concordance with Frederick's writings, the reasons that Prussia was to become such a powerhouse and to temporarily overcome such internal cultural fissures becomes clear. As a result of his prowess, Frederick triumphed over French, Russian, Saxony, and Sweden, and Austrian armies. Fighting skillfully on multiple fronts is an important facet of his approach. Contrary to the reader's assumptions, during this time of history, Prussia was the underdog in a time when warfare was a highly regimented and rule-governed practice. Frederick had to find a way to deploy a multitude of different types of armaments, divisions of the army, and ways to position an attack. Also, attacking by night and surprise was a key part of Frederick's approach.

It is interesting to note that, although Frederick was a king, the book gives most attention to his role as a general. He clearly saw success at warfare as equally important in his struggle to lead a successful nation. The book leaves out political administration, for the most part, or the moral reasons to embark or not embark upon war, as it is a primary source and instructional manual for warfare, rather than a prose history, or a document seeking to give a balanced or even a biased perspective of the Seven Years War. In discussing how to bolster the morale of his troops, for example, Frederick had a cool practical intention in keeping the 'common man' healthy, yet the desire to army free from desertion (by avoiding night marches and taking role-call and punishing deserters without mercy) the ethics of the role of the soldier are of little interest to him, except in terms of how to anticipate how climate or hunger might affect a campaign.