I’ve mentioned before that I would be teaching a class I designed, Clausewitz and Maneuver Warfare, through the Marine Corps’ Continuing Education Program this year, and so I shall. Details are finally fleshed out, although the curriculum has been finished for quite some time.
Registration begins February 9th. The class will run March 10th through May 10th. It is only open to those currently on active duty and reserve Marines. You can register for the class on MarineNet by searching “E025 Clausewitz and Maneuver Warfare” once the registration window begins.
Unfortunately, as of right now, this will be the sole iteration of the class. The Marine Corps is shutting down the CEP at the end of May of this year. I do not know the budget situation, the tradeoffs that had to be made, nor the reasons for this decision, but it is unfortunate. Marines need more education, not less.
The class was meant to be the first salvo in a quest to raise the level of understanding of Clausewitz’s work in the U.S. military. Our current approach is atrocious. On War is either thrown on a reading list or pieces of it are taught by non-experts in PME. This does not lead to understanding: On War requires multiple readings due to the twisty dialectical logic, the dense 19th century prose, and the fact that every English translation has problems and inaccuracies. It also perpetuates a number of misconceptions, like the idea that Clausewitz was against intelligence and deception. It’s not a text that one should approach without a plan or a guide. A proper study requires comparison of the four major English translations at least, or a helping hand to avoid the pitfalls. The intent of the class was to provide one.
Because this was supposed to be the pilot iteration of this course, it is limited to 9 slots. The intent was for future iterations to be larger if the course went well and there was interest.
I do not know what I will do with the course in the future. Perhaps things will change, or perhaps Marine Corps education is intending to focus on the United States Naval Community College and there will be an opportunity to teach it there. If it goes well, and if I do well as a first-time teacher, I will keep my ear to the ground for opportunities to revive it.
Has a civilian, I have no chance of getting near such a class, but it does sound appealing. Sorry to hear about the cancellation.
I can only say this is a very unfortunate decision by HQ USMC and wish I could participate in your class.