As the general officer credited with putting Carl von Clausewitz's theories into practice, Helmuth von Moltke had a profound influence on modern warfare, most notably revolutionizing the role of the general staff and, in the face of much criticism, unapologetically advocating for the empowerment of subordinate leaders. His influence remains present in modern command structures and mission command thinking. Although they are typically associated with the intellectual approaches of emergent military science, the foundations of Moltke's most influential practices were rooted in Romantic philosophy. To be sure, his belief in human reason's ability to deconstruct and synthesize complex information reflects Immanuel Kant's theories on the human mind's categorization and synthesis of particulars, which Kant termed synthetic judgments a priori. Moltke also betrayed an affinity for Romantic interpretations of sublimity, humanism, and autonomy that in the end dominated his theories and practices. Moltke, one of the greatest modern military theorists and practitioners, cannot be correctly evaluated without consideration of all the influences on his thinking and practice.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited -- Report documentation page. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.) -- Monograph approval page. 25 May 2017 -- Monograph approval page

Kant and Goethe’s foundational romantic philosophies and their impact on nineteenth-century Prussian military theory --Moltke: forever the romantic -- Romanticism, staff organization, and the planning process -- Auftragstaktik: a romantic construction -- Conclusion.