Germany and the Next War

Bold and provocative, Germany and the Next War by General Friedrich von Bernhardi confronts the rise of militarism and national ambition in pre‑World War I Europe. Written and translated amid the 1912 Morocco crisis, Bernhardi’s polemic argues that force, clear goals, and readiness to sacrifice are the true instruments of statecraft—an urgent, controversial manifesto that helped shape debates about strategy, honor, and geopolitics on the eve of 1914. Combining military theory, political critique, and historical reflection, the book examines the limits of diplomacy, the psychology of public opinion, and the practical demands of modern warfare. Bernhardi speaks from the perspective of a German general convinced that national survival depends on preparedness and decisive action; readers encounter the era’s anxieties about empire, taxation, and parliamentary constraint alongside blunt prescriptions for military policy. As much a historical document as a strategic argument, it reveals how ideas about war and nationhood circulated in early 20th‑century Europe. Ideal for students of military history, World War I scholars, and listeners curious about the intellectual roots of 20th‑century conflict, this war stories classic illuminates the doctrines and debates that preceded the great European conflagration.