S3E1: Jomini: Selling Napoleon’s System with Professor Antulio Echevarria

Talking Strategy

Antoine-Henri Jomini was the strategist who anticipated Napoleon’s movements – and the general who betrayed the emperor by defecting to the Russians for a better position. He was among the most widely read strategists of land warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To kick off Season 3 of Talking Strategy, Beatrice Heuser and Paul O’Neill are joined by Professor Antulio Echevarria to reflect on his work.

Jomini’s analysis of Napoleon’s way of war – his strategies, his ‘système de guerre’ – is outstanding, and the true reason for the great popularity of his work. Napoleon’s concentration on the centre of gravity, seeking the decisive battle, and bringing his forces together on one point – these were all key features of Jomini’s analysis. It was perfect for those not looking for philosophies, but for something allowing them to penetrate through the complexities of warfare in a revolutionary age.

Jomini’s works on strategy were being read in military academies from the US to Russia at the turn of the 20th century. Then came a period when he was eclipsed by other authors and unjustly neglected. What remained greatly inspirational for militaries on all sides, however, was his list of principles of war, and his focused and insightful analysis of Napoleonic warfare. Our guest in this episode is Professor Antulio Echevarria, who, after serving in the US Army, turned to academia. He teaches at the US Army War College and has published widely on strategy.