"Germany and the Next War" was written by Friedrich Von Bernhardi, a Prussian soldier and military theorist. The book outlines Bernhardi's views on why conflict is necessary for and unavoidable in order for Germany to continue to aspire to global supremacy. In the book, Bernhardi argues that conflict is a necessary and natural part of human evolution and that Germany has to struggle to keep her place in the international arena. In addition, he argues that Germany must constantly improve its military technology and tactics since it depends on them for its continued success. Military and political elites studied and discussed Bernhardi's book "Germany and the Next War" in great detail during the years leading up to World War I, which was greatly influenced by his beliefs. The book is often cited as an example of the aggressive and expansionist mentality that sparked the outbreak of World War I.
Friedrich von Bernhardi, a Prussian soldier, military theorist, and author, was born in Estonia in 1849. He attended the Berlin Military Academy for his studies and participated in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 as a soldier for Germany. Later on, in Germany and East Africa, he had a variety of military and executive jobs. His most well-known book, "Germany and the Next War," which was released in 1911 and quickly gained popularity in Germany, promoted the idea that conflict was a necessary and natural element of human development. The book argues that in order to maintain its position in the globe, Germany had every right and need to go to war. This book had a big influence on how militaristic and expansionist Germany was in the years before World War I. Bernhardi participated in the occupation of Belgium and France as a general in the German army during World War I. He was temporarily detained by the Allies for his role after the war, but he was finally freed in 1920. Other publications on military tactics and strategy by Bernhardi include "Cavalry in War and Peace" and "How to Become a War Lord." After World War I, he lived in exile in Switzerland, where he died in 1930.
