Abstract: All previous interpretations of Clausewitz's concept of war have treated it as something that must be understood in connection with the three interactions to the extreme, and consequently with his concept of the absolute. This chapter discusses the similarities and the difference between Clausewitz's concept of absolute war and modern total war. Furthermore, it can be shown that the different conceptualizations of Clausewitz's concepts of war are connected with his different war experiences at Jena, Moscow, and Waterloo. Until now, it has been overlooked that Clausewitz also speaks of the wondrous trinity as his concept of war. Nevertheless, it has to be acknowledged that Clausewitz's conceptualizations remain ambivalent without a discrete interpretation of his first chapter.

Keywords: total war, different conceptualizations, Jena, Moscow, Waterloo, contradictions in terms,