Von moltke was born in 1800 CE, son of a German lieutenant general in Danish service.
He was educated for service in the Danish army but at the age of 21 chose to become a Prussian officer because that position offered better opportunities for promotion.
He entered the general war school (the later Prussian Military Academy) and graduated in 1826 CE.
Carl von Clausewitz was director of the academy at the time and an inspiration for von Moltke,
though the two had little or no contact with each other.
The Prussians first employed him as a military school director and as a strategic scout in Silesia and Poland.
In 1835 CE he was promoted to captain, got six months leave, traveled to Turkey and promptly became a military adviser to the Ottoman Turks, with Berlin's approval and support.
He fought with the Ottomans in the Battle of Nezib, where they ignored his advice and lost the battle.
In 1839 CE he traveled back to Germany.
In the 18 years that followed he alternated between serving in the staff of the 4th Army Corps at Berlin
and as an assistant to several German princes abroad.
During this period he rose in rank to colonel.
Von Moltke was a man of the world who traveled wide.
He spoke seven languages though in conversation was sparse with words.
He was versed in music, poetry and theater; produced many paintings, several maps and books and was fascinated by the appearance of railroads.
Not all sprouted from creative pressure; he started writing books to earn some money, as his family was impoverished.
His intelligence, worldliness and pedigree made him well received in the high society of Berlin.
Despite all the peacetime creativity, politically he was a nationalist who wanted nothing to do with the liberal revolutions that swept over Europe in 1848 CE.
He was a staunch supporter of the monarchy and the Prussian military aristocracy and went as far as stating that war was a necessary part of life.
Unlike von Clausewitz he advocated a sharp distinction between politicians and the military, frequently subordinating politics to (military) strategy.
In 1857 CE, despite his limited battlefield experience, Von Moltke was promoted to chief of the Prussian general staff.
In that capacity he served for 30 years and in that time transformed the Prussian army.
He reorganized the mobilization process to make it faster and stressed the importance of railways to get the troops to the front early, where they could overwhelm a slower enemy.
He realized the potential of firearms, which were improving rapidly in the second half of the 19th century CE, and how they gave defense an advantage over offense.
Therefore he advocated flanking movements and envelopments rather than frontal attacks.
With armies increasing in size and becoming unwieldy, he slackened the tight control that generals had before and stressed the importance of good officers and initiative.
In Von Moltke's view the general staff had to take care of overall strategy and planning, but leave the actual execution of them to others.
Tactics and strategy had to remain flexible, to be able to cope with changing circumstances and unforeseen setbacks or opportunities.
Training and communication were improved to make that possible.
In 1864 CE Prussia fought the Second Schleswig War with Denmark, where his battle plan failed because it was mismanaged by general Wrangel, the operational commander.
However in the Austro-Prussian war of 1864 CE and Franco-Prussian War of 1870 CE his strategies worked well.
In the latter the Prussians defeated the French army with surprising swiftness, but then had trouble crowning their victory.
Von Moltke's successes made him the undisputed head of the army and got him elevated to count and field marshal.
In 1888 CE he retired and died three years later at home.
He left many accounts of his strategies and experiences in war.
War Matrix - Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Geopolitical Race 1830 CE - 1880 CE, Generals and leaders