Talking Strategy

Admiral Arne Røksund joins Beatrice and Paul to discuss a set of French strategists collectively referred to as the Jeune Ecole, ‘the young school’. The Jeune Ecole is considered the counterpoint to many battle-obsessed land strategists and followers of 19th century US naval officer Alfred Thayer Mahan. Leading among the strategists of the Jeune Ecole were Admiral Théophile Aube (1826–1890), who held the posts of governor of Martinique and navy minister, and Gabriel Charmes, an influential journalist whom he had met in the French colonies. For them, as for many other strategists of the decades before and after the First World War, treaties were scraps of paper to be torn up upon the outbreak of war; all was fair, they argued, for a weaker power in defence of its interests. Our guest, Admiral Arne Røksund, has had a distinguished career, holding posts including the Commandant and Commander in charge of all Norwegian military education, and Secretary General of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. Currently the Secretary General of the Surveillance Authority of the European Free Trade Area, he holds a PhD in History from the University of Oslo.

John Warden III was an exceptionally influential air power strategist whose name is inextricably connected with Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 coalition campaign to free Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion. We discuss his influence with Colonel Dr John Andreas Olsen of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Warden was a pupil of theorist Carl von Clausewitz, taking from him his concept of the ‘centre of gravity’, which Warden multiplied concentrically to identify five targets for air bombardment that would bring an enemy power to its knees – his ‘five rings’. But he also rejected Clausewitz’s emphasis on a decisive battle between land forces to achieve the same outcome. In an almost ‘Douhetian’ fashion, Warden made the case that air power on its own could bring about a decision in war – but very much unlike the Italian general, Warden wanted to spare the enemy civilian population, targeting above all the enemy’s centre of power. Our guest, Col Dr John Andreas Olsen, is currently assigned to NATO Headquarters in Brussels. He is a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, and a fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences. He completed a doctorate in history and international relations at De Montfort University, and he holds further degrees from the Universities of Warwick and Trondheim.

Historian Dr Daniel Whittingham joins Beatrice and Paul for a conversation about Major-General Sir Charles Edward Callwell (1859–1928). An unabashed British imperialist, Callwell’s views are strongly reflected in his writings on Small Wars, by which he meant counterinsurgency operations. Callwell started his career as an artillery officer, and then went on to serve as a staff officer and commander during the Boer War. He also served in one of the Anglo-Afghan Wars, and later, in the First World War. But it was RUSI that launched him on his literary career: he won the Trench Gascoigne Prize Essay Competition in 1886 for his essay ‘Lessons to be learned from the campaigns in which British Forces have been employed since the year 1865’, published in the RUSI Journal Vol. 139. This success gave him the confidence that he could write and be read, and he later expanded his prize-winning essay into the famous book Small Wars: Their Principles and Practices, published in 1896. The work went through several re-editions and was adopted by the British Army as a textbook on how to conduct counterinsurgency operations. While his prescriptions in this domain were brutal, his equally important writings on naval strategy are sensible and restrained, foreshadowing Sir Julian Corbett’s views on the need for jointness and the pointlessness of naval operations that did not have the land dimension as their focus. Dr Daniel Whittingham is an Oxford-trained historian by background, who completed his PhD at King’s College London before joining the University of Birmingham in September 2013.

Join Professor Antulio Echevarria, a military strategist and educator, as he delves into the enduring legacy of Antoine-Henri Jomini. They unpack Jomini's ability to simplify the complexities of Napoleonic warfare, making his principles foundational in military training worldwide. The discussion contrasts Jomini's formulaic tactics against Clausewitz's nuanced views and explores the political implications of warfare. Echevarria also examines how Jomini’s ideas still inform modern military strategy and governance in conflict zones.

Recently retired Major General Mick Ryan sits down with Beatrice and Paul for the Series 2 finale of Talking Strategy. Mick is an experienced strategist, having worked at high levels in this capacity in the Australian and US militaries. During his career, he commanded at platoon, squadron, regiment, task force and brigade levels in the Australian Army. His last position was that of Commander of the Australian Defence College in Canberra. A graduate of the Australian Defence Force School of Languages (language speciality: Bahasa Indonesia), Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, the USMC Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting, he is also a passionate advocate of professional education and lifelong learning.

Brigadier General Dr. Hervé Pierre, an expert on French military strategy, delves into the influential ideas of General André Beaufre. He discusses Beaufre's definition of strategy as the effective application of force and highlights the importance of changing the enemy's mindset. Pierre also unpacks the balance between direct and indirect warfare, relating it to modern conflicts. Additionally, he explores the complexities of French nuclear deterrence, examining how perceptions shape strategy from historical to contemporary contexts.

Dr. Bradley Potter, an expert on military strategy and an Adjunct Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, delves into the life and influence of Basil Liddell Hart, a World War I captain reshaping military thought. They explore Liddell Hart's advocacy for indirect warfare and psychological tactics, contrasting his ideas with those of Clausewitz. The discussion also highlights the strategic significance of air power and how Liddell Hart’s teachings influenced subsequent generations of strategists. His controversial reputation as an appeaser of Hitler adds a fascinating layer to his legacy.

In this festive special, Beatrice and Paul reflect on the lessons from their meanderings across the strategic landscape over the past 20 episodes of Talking Strategy. What is very clear is that, ultimately, commanders must still be able to make sense of the complex environment they are facing – and not just a military one. Military command remains a complex task, with huge responsibilities on individuals whose decisions are, quite literally, matters of life and death. Hence, it is important to consider what the theory means for practitioners (the stratège). In this episode, we consider how commanders are being taught to meet their responsibilities. Joining the conversation is Emilie Cleret, Director of the English Studies Department at École de Guerre, part of the École Militaire, where the French armed forces train future commanders. We learn about the transformative approach to officer education she has adopted, based on the theories of Jack Mezirow and his ideas of challenging meaning structures and creating disorienting dilemmas. It’s an approach which resonates with the complex demands that war places on those it engages.

Professor Matthew Strickland joins Beatrice and Paul to discuss Gerald of Wales, royal clerk and chaplain to King Henry II of England in 1184. In a time when the Norman rulers of the British Isles relied on clerics as civil servants, Gerald (c. 1146–1223), of mixed Welsh-Norman descent, furnished exceptional analytical surveys of Wales and Ireland. From Gerald’s surveys, we get invaluable insights into how war was fought in these remote parts of Europe – ‘irregular’ compared with what was happening on the continent, making best use of terrain and of regular armies’ logistic problems. Gerald of Wales, or Geraldus Cambrensis (Latin), had studied in Paris and travelled widely in Western Europe, which enabled him to observe and articulate what was particular about Wales and Ireland, including in warfare. His writings on the topography and peculiarities of both countries were presented to the Angevin kings. Professor Matthew Strickland runs the prestigious War Studies programme at the University of Glasgow. He specialises in European medieval warfare in the Age of Chivalry, and his publications include the seminal War and Chivalry: The Conduct and Perception of War in England and Normandy, 1066–1217 (Cambridge University Press, 1986).

Dr. Sharon Ghamari-Tabrizi, an expert on Herman Kahn, discusses the key insights of the controversial nuclear strategist. Kahn's approach to nuclear war aimed to anticipate and prepare for the aftermath, arguing it might save lives despite the devastation. The conversation covers Kahn's unsettling strategies, including his famous escalation ladder and its implications for deterrence. Ghamari-Tabrizi also tackles the ethical dilemmas of targeting civilians and critiques the legacy of nuclear strategy, highlighting the need for creative solutions in modern security.