Talking Strategy S6E10: Britain's Preparation for War: Professor Sir Hew Strachan
Jan 27, 2026
Professor Sir Hew Strachan, noted First World War historian and government defence adviser. He explores how Britain had partial plans and nascent institutions before 1914. Short steps in naval readiness, industrial mobilization and cross-government coordination mattered. He traces how those early measures influenced later mobilization and what that means for modern readiness.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Preparedness Was A Base Not A Finish
- Britain had considered war and built a baseline of institutions but was not fully prepared for a large continental conflict.
- The Royal Navy was better prepared than the Army, which remained structured for imperial policing rather than mass continental war.
Churchill Kept The Fleet Ready
- Churchill kept the reserve fleet on exercise during the July Crisis so it was ready when war began.
- The Army, by contrast, lacked a clear continental structure and was still geared to imperial duties.
Staff Shortages Hobbled Rapid Expansion
- The Army created a General Staff only after 1905 and tried to plan for a European war using the worst-case threat.
- However, Britain lacked enough trained senior and staff officers for rapid expansion to continental scale.
