People
The activities characteristic of war may be split into two main categories: those that are merely preparations for war, and war proper.
— Carl von Clausewitz
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The statement separates preparing for war from war itself. Its purpose is classificatory: activities related to conflict do not all belong to the same stage or category. The distinction provides a way to organize discussion without treating preparation and its eventual use as identical.
Context reviewed