Talking Strategy
This podcast explores strategic thinking in defence and security by examining the ideas of influential thinkers from history. Co-chaired by Professor Beatrice Heuser and Paul O'Neill, it aims to help leaders, practitioners, and scholars understand how past strategies can inform future decisions. Each episode delves into the origins and impacts of key strategic concepts, shedding light on how we can better prepare for tomorrow's challenges.
Episodes
S7E3: Escape from the World-Island: Geopolitics and Geoeconomics
Professor Scott Smitson traces the origins of geopolitics and geoeconomics as concepts and why these forgotten ideas are returning to shape today's world. The triumphalism following the end of the Cold War led some to believe we had reached The End of History, and that great powers had moved beyond a world shaped by geopolitics and geoeconomics. Robert Kaplan's The Revenge of Geography in 2012
S7E2: What Does a Return to Realpolitik Mean? With Professor John Bew
What is realpolitik, and why is the world said to be returning to it? Professor John Bew CMG traces the idea back to its origins. The world may well be entering a new age of realpolitik, but the harder question is defining which kind. The term is usually associated with an unsentimental use of power to further national interests, often seen as a rejection of a more idealistic, values-based approac
S7E1: Avoiding Strategic Surprise: Lessons from NATO with Dr Florence Gaub
NATO expert Dr Florence Gaub explains how strategic foresight helps NATO anticipate and avoid strategic surprise in an uncertain world. Strategic surprise happens when new information fundamentally changes how we see the world. In an increasingly uncertain global landscape, predicting exact outcomes is nearly impossible – and that unpredictability heightens the risk of surprise. Yet as Lord Mervyn
S6E22: Delivering National Security Strategies
Former UN Ambassador and National Security Advisor Sir Mark Lyall Grant discusses the challenges facing delivery of Western security strategies. In this season of Talking Strategy we have explored many of the key themes of today's security and defence strategies, but the test of a strategy is what changes as a result. A perfectly written strategy that makes the wrong assumptions, or that cannot be
S6E21: Dr Jack Watling on Ukrainian Adaptation to War
In our 100th episode, we talk to RUSI senior research fellow Dr Jack Watling about the transformation in Ukraine in response to Russia's War. Against what many considered a materially superior adversary, Ukraine has not only withstood Russian aggression, but has fought back with courage, ingenuity and commitment from the whole of society. We discuss how it has achieved this, not just through the a
S6E20: Preparing for War: Adaptable Forces and Societies
Professor Olivier Schmitt describes the systemic challenges of military transformation, given rapidly evolving technology and NATO's distinct strategic cultures. Modern defence and security reviews highlight the deteriorating security environment and the need to prepare forces. But, as we hear from Lord King (Season 6, Episode 3), the ability to adapt will be essential; we need a mindset that allo
S6E19: Adversarial Strategy: Russia's Preparations for a Long War
We look at how Russia's armed forces are learning lessons from combat and examine Moscow's ambitions in its war against Ukraine. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine is part of a long-term, much larger project of turning Russia into a regional hegemon with influence on other continents, while it builds relationships with China and others who may help its goals. In this episode, Dr Andrew Monaghan, R
S6E18: Bullion to Bullets: Mobilising the Financial Markets
The Centre for Economic Security's Dr Rebecca Harding argues for the importance of financial markets as the fourth pillar in supporting effective mobilisation. Conversations about industrial mobilisation often focus on the triumvirate of government, armed forces and industry. In this episode we add a fourth pillar, that of finance, and the need for governments to consider how the economic system c
S6E17: Industrial Mobilisation: Harnessing the Capacity of Defence Primes Andrea Thompson
Despite an increasing focus on SMEs, effective industrial mobilisation must also better harness the power of traditional defence firms. Andrea Thompson from BAE Systems explains how. The excitement in defence ministries about improving how they engage with dynamic and innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is understandable but represents only a partial element of what is needed for indust
S6E16: Harnessing Disruptors in the Defence Industrial Ecosystem: Anduril Industries
The preparedness of Western armed forces for conflict is something that has featured prominently in many defence reviews. Christian Brose, Anduril's President & Chief Strategy Officer, describes how governments can build effective relationships with innovative, disruptive small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the defence industrial ecosystem, and how they can develop new strategies for achieving
S6E15: Integrating Today's Forces for Air and Missile Defence
Rear Admiral Archer M Macy Jr describes today's military, organisational, human and cultural risks and opportunities in integrating forces for air and missile defence. Many modern defence reviews focus on the need for integration. Arguably, nowhere is the need more important today than in providing air and missile defence. State and non-state adversaries have shown varying abilities to combine the
S6E14: Force Integration in 1940: Dowding's Air Defence System
Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding's air defence system was crucial during the Battle of Britain. The RAF Museum's Andrew Renwick describes how it was created. In the 1930s, Great Britain, wrestled with the challenge of achieving wide area air defence to protect against threats from continental Europe while reliant on many different elements. ACM Hugh Dowding was tasked with solving this problem. His
S6E13: Transforming Poland's Military: General Rajmund Andrzejczak
As European nations discuss preparing their militaries for war, Poland's former Chief of Defence, General Rajmund Andrzejczak, describes how they have led the way in increased military spend. With almost 5% of its GDP now invested in defence, Poland has moved at speed to grow its armed forces. Indeed, Poland stands out as the European NATO member that has moved fastest to respond to the threats fa
S6E12: The Elder Moltke: Preparing for Victory in 1800s Prussia
How did Prussia turn from a beaten underdog into the leader of a united Germany following its victories of the 19th century? In this episode, Geoffrey Wawro, Professor of Military History at the University of North Texas, joins Beatrice and Paul to discuss Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Chief of Staff of the Prussian Army from 1857–71. Given the limited funding available to Prussia, von Moltke the
S6E11: Finland's Comprehensive Security Model
Often seen as the gold standard for societal resilience, Finland has many admirers. The Secretary General of its Security Committee, Petteri Korvala, describes Finland's approach. Many nations are exploring how to build societal resilience as part of a comprehensive approach to security. The Scandinavian countries are often seen as exemplars of best practice, with Finland arguably leading the pack
S6E10: Britain's Preparation for War: Professor Sir Hew Strachan
Britain was not ready for the First World War but some key, if embryonic, plans and capabilities proved vital. Sir Hew Strachan discusses the lessons for today. With concerns rising about how ready Western nations are for the risk of war in Europe, we discuss the lessons from Britain's preparation for The Great War. And while preparation is important, not all actions to prepare are equally importa
S6E9: The Iron Chancellor: Otto von Bismarck's Unification of Germany
Professor Michael Epkenhans describes how Otto von Bismarck's adroit use of war, realpolitik and the harnessing all levers of state power unified the German nation. Otto von Bismarck, Prussian Chancellor and – after 1871 – the leading political figure of the Second German Empire after the Kaiser, hated to be bullied but managed to manipulate and bully all around him into following his complex stra
S6E8: Prioritising Innovation: Creating a Secure and Resilient Ecosystem
Innovation has long been a Western strategy, but how can it be made effective against an industrially and economically strong China? Dame Fiona Murray explains. A defining feature of the West's Cold War approach to the Soviet Union was leveraging its technological and economic advantages, including through 'offset strategies'. While defence innovation remains a pillar of Western security, its focu
S6E7: Strategic Transformation of the Army: General Sir Nigel Bagnall
The National Army Museum's Justin Maciejewski reveals how General Bagnall's far-reaching reforms transformed the British Army for war against the USSR. By the 1980s, General (later Field Marshal) Sir Nigel Bagnall GCB CVO MC and bar (1927-2002) felt that British Army was ill-prepared for the fight against the Soviets. He pinpointed shortcomings such as the lack of conventional mass, the right doct
S6E6: Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson: Building a Warrior Culture
Admiral Nelson instilled in his sailors a martial spirit that in many battles saw them prevail against superior odds. Dr Martin Robson discusses Nelson's legacy with us. Widely considered one of the greatest admirals, alongside Admiral Yi Sun-sin, (Season 4, Episode 6) - Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758-1805) advised: 'No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongs
S6E5: Strategy Amidst Complexity: Gen.(retd) Lori Robinson
A former four-star combatant commander, General (retd) Lori Robinson, discusses the challenges of strategy making and strategic leadership in a complex environment. After 37 years of military service, Gen. Robinson retired in 2018 as commander of the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). This double role required her to report to both the
S6E4: US Cold War Endgame Strategy: Zbigniew Brzezinski, with Edward Luce
Edward Luce discusses how Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Advisor to President Carter, sought to bring down the USSR and end the Cold War by magnifying the Politburo' dilemmas. During the Cold War, two dominant émigré figures emerged in United States national security strategy making: Henry Kissinger (Republican) and Zbigniew Brzezinski (Democrat). Zbigniew Brzezinski played a pivotal behin
S6E3: Lord Mervyn King: Effective Strategy for Radical Uncertainty
Can clear Ends exist in a radically uncertain world? Lord Mervyn King explains how to align Ways and Means without them. Successive national security and defence reviews in recent years have adjusted their language about the nature of the world, moving from being one of competition, to uncertainty, to today's 'radical uncertainty'. Is the concept simply being used to justify the new review and dif
S6E2: Europe's Security: Squeezed Between Russia and the US?
Dr Fiona Hill, one of the lead reviewers on the UK's 2025 Strategic Defence Review, discusses an expansive approach to defence and security for the modern world. Dr Hill, who served the first Trump administration as a Russia expert, brings deep insights into Russian, American and British defence policy making. Having identified Russia's obsession with recovering the old Tsarist Empire's borderland
S6E1: Project Solarium: Dwight D. Eisenhower's Approach to Strategy Making
Often touted as the gold standard in national security strategy making, 1953's Project Solarium was President Eisenhower's way of developing a strategy to counter Soviet expansionism. With frequent current calls for a new Project Solarium, was the original project a versatile solution or was it particular to Eisenhower's presidency? Professor Walter Hudson explains. By 1947 relations with the Sovi
S5E21: Hero of a Thousand Faces - Reflections on Strategy and Leadership
Beatrice and Paul reflect on the lessons for strategy-making and strategy-delivery from their conversations with and about strategic leaders in earlier episodes. Previous sessions of Talking Strategy have explored the activities of great strategic leaders and commanders from around the world. In this final episode of the current season, Paul and Beatrice reflect on past conversations and try to id
S5E20: The Primacy of Culture and Leadership in Strategic Success, with Khoi Tu
Genuine transformation goes beyond structural and process reform. KornFerry's Khoi Tu discusses the crucial role of leadership and culture in strategy making and delivery. In this episode we consider how strategy works in the commercial world. Ranging across a number of commercial sectors, Khoi Tu talks about the similarities and differences in strategy between defence and industry. Some elements,
S5E19: Thucydides: A Revolution in Strategic Thinking
Thucydides set the 'gold standard' for a strategic analysis of war with his history of the Peloponnesian War: Dr Roel Konijnendijk explains how. Thucydides, who lived almost two-and-a-half millennia ago, revolutionised strategic analysis by asserting the place of human agency rather than attributing events as being shaped by Gods or fate. This is something that Machiavelli repeats centuries later
S5E18: George C Marshall: Strategic Planning for War and Peace
General Marshall planned brilliantly for the US Army's rapid wartime growth and a 'Just Peace' for post-war Europe. Professor Bill Johnsen explains how. General George C Marshall's (1880-1959) career as a strategist and strategic leader was impressive. As the Chief of Staff for the US Army, he oversaw a forty-fold increase in the size of the Army. Quick to spot talent and advance it out of turn, h
S5E17: Giuseppe Garibaldi: 'The Only Hero the World Needs'
Professor Lucy Riall explains Garibaldi's mastery of revolutionary war by harnessing military, political and populist levers of power to become a father of modern Italy. Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) was one of the world's greatest revolutionaries, leading resistance movements with irregular armies such as the Ragamuffins and the Red Shirts in Latin America and Europe. A crucial figure of 19th ce
S5E16: Cyrus the Great: Inventing Empire and Universal Monarchy
Cyrus' exemplary leadership forged a patchwork of ethnicities into an empire that founded Persian rule in the Middle East, Professor Lynette Mitchell explains. Cyrus the Great (or the Elder) is known to many through the Cyrus Cylinder exhibit preserved in the British Museum, which tells us that he was chosen by God for his special virtues to become 'king of the four corners of the world'.[1] Inde
S5E15: And then what? Thinking Strategy, with Baroness Ashton of Upholland
Baroness Catherine Ashton, formerly the European Union's lead for foreign and security strategy, discusses challenges, opportunities and tips for collaborative strategy-making. As the EU's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Ashton was at the heart of international strategy making between 2009 and 2014 working on some of the world's most intractable problems
S5E14: Abdul Haris Nasution: Insurgent Founder of the Indonesian Army
General Nasution's journey from insurgent to Army commander and strategist fighting against communist insurgents in Indonesia is described by Colonel Dr Almuchalif Suryo. Trained by the Dutch as part of the Netherlands East Indies Army, General Abdel Haris Nasution (1918-2000) fought with them against the Japanese during the Second World War and then against them for Indonesian independence. Havin
S5E13: Modernising the Royal Navy: Admiral Lord Fisher RN
Admiral John (Jacky) Fisher radically transformed the Royal Navy in terms of its people, doctrine, equipment and structures. Dr Richard Dunley explains how. Few service chiefs have had such a profound effect on their service as Admiral of the Fleet, Baron Fisher of Kilverstone, Chief of the British Royal Navy in 1904-1910, and again in 1914-1915, before resigning in frustration over Churchill's Ga
S5E12: Toussaint Louverture and the Strategy of Dynamic Adaptation with Professor Charles Forsdick
Professor Charles Forsdick tells the story of Toussaint Louverture, who led Haiti's successful and highly adaptive slave revolt against the 18th century's great powers. Toussaint Loverture was a force of nature. A former slave, he led the revolt in Saint Domingue between 1791– 1802 that resulted in Haitian independence. As a self-taught military commander, he was ever present in the fight, adapt
S5E11: Jean Monnet and the Strategy of International Defence Cooperation
Jean-Marc Lieberherr examines Jean Monnet's vital role in securing US arms for Britain and France during the Second World War and in driving international cooperation. A committed internationalist, long before becoming one of the founding fathers of the EU, Jean Monnet played a crucial role in enabling cooperation between countries in two world wars. As a member of the Executive Committee of the A
S5E10: Creating Destruction: US Industrial Mobilisation in the Second World War
Professor Mark Wilson explains how governments, industry and the military collaborated to forge the US's 'arsenal of democracy' during the Second World War. The prevailing myth is that the miracle of US industrial production was achieved by individual business leaders who were freed from the dead hand of government. The truth is more nuanced. The impressive efforts of business leaders relied on th
S5E9: Empress Matilda: Chess Grandmaster of Siege Warfare with Dr Catherine Hanley
Fighting for her rightful inheritance of the English crown, Empress Matilda (1110–1125) proved to be a grandmaster in the Anarchy's bloody chess game. The war of dynastic succession in 12th century England and Normandy is known as the Anarchy. (1135-1154). Barons and nobles of all ranks joined in the family quarrel over the succession to Henry I. Matilda, Henry's only surviving legitimate child an
S5E8: Transforming a Nation: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Modern Turkey was forged by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk from the Ottoman Empire's collapse. In this episode, Dr Mesut Uyar joins us to discuss Atatürk's legacy of strategic leadership. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the most important Turkish political leader since the Ottoman Empire's expansion was checked at Vienna in 1683. A career officer educated from the age of 12 in military academies – where he excel
S5E7: H.R. McMaster on National Security Strategy Making
H.R. McMaster shares his extensive experience of strategy-making and strategic leadership as a military officer, academic and former United States' national security advisor. 'The Iconoclast General', H.R. McMaster has a distinguished record serving his country. Commissioned from West Point into the armoured cavalry, he retired as a Lieutenant General after thirty-four years' service, including op
S5E6: Trenchard and the Royal Air Force: Creation, Innovation and Power with Dr Harry Raffal
The world's first independent air force owes its survival and shape to its 'father', Hugh Trenchard. We explore how with the RAF Museum's Dr Harry Raffal. Described as 'the architect and patron saint of modern air power', Marshal of the RAF Viscount Hugh Trenchard (1873–1956) was the first Chief of the Air Staff (January–April 1918 and 1919–1930). An army officer badly wounded in the Boer War, he
S5E5: Santa Cruz De Marcenado - Spain's Clausewitz
The 3rd Marquess of Santa Cruz de Marcenado (1684–1732), soldier, diplomat and scholar, pioneered humanist ways to prevent or suppress insurgencies in his Military Reflections. In his time, Marcenado was the most widely read Spanish author on war. He drew on his own rich experiences of the Spanish War of Succession to complement his erudition based on existing publications from antiquity to the Ag
S5E4: Turning Around a Defeated Army: Field Marshall William Slim, with Dr Robert Lyman MBE
Voted Britain's 'greatest general' by the National Army Museum in 2011, 'Uncle Bill' Slim led the XIVth Army from defeat to victory. Dr Robert Lyman tells us about Slim's strategic leadership. Field Marshal William Slim (1891–1970) is famous for transforming troops who had retreated almost 1,000 miles through Burma pursued by the Japanese Army into a force that emerged from the Second World War vi
S5E3: Katsu Kaishū and the Foundations of the Modern Japanese Navy
In this episode we discuss Admiral Katsu Kaishū's transformation of the modern Japanese navy into a force that defeated the Russians in 1905. For 200 years, Japan was largely isolated from the world. By the 19th century, as countries in Europe and North America were expanding into its neighbourhood, Japan's military capability had atrophied. In response, the Tokugawa Shogunate created a navy in 18
S5E2: Radical Reform of the US Marine Corps: General Alfred Mason Gray
Lieutenant General George Flynn describes how his friend and former boss General Gray, the 29th Commandant, transformed the US Marine Corps' warfighting, ethos and capabilities. General Alfred Mason Gray Jnr (1928–2024) was not the most obvious choice to lead the US Marine Corps when he became its 29th Commandant in 1987, but he succeeded in transforming the Corps into one of the world's premier f
S5E1: Leading a Defence Startup: NATO's First Secretary General, Lord Ismay
NATO's first Secretary General, Hastings Ismay, profoundly shaped today's Alliance. Join us to discuss his legacy with his latest biographer, Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely. Hastings (Pug) Ismay was a general who never commanded beyond lieutenant colonel, rising through the ranks as a staff officer. This brought him into contact with politicians, like Churchill, and senior military commanders
S4E21: Strategy's Human Dimension, with Baroness Neville-Jones
To conclude Season Four of Talking Strategy, we talk to long-serving diplomat, policy adviser and politician The Rt Hon Baroness Neville-Jones. With intimate experience of the functioning of governments and the EU, Lady Neville-Jones compares the respective organisational cultures and human side of strategy, drawing on lessons from her career. Pauline Neville-Jones joined the British diplomatic se
S4E20: Moshe Dayan, Master of Emergent Strategy? With Professor Eitan Shamir
Moshe Dayan (1915-1981) is a controversial figure in Israeli politics. Revered by some as a master strategist, he is criticised by others for his failure to foresee Egypt's attack in 1973, and then for 'giving up' the Sinai in return for a peace treaty. Strategy-making can take two approaches. The first, 'Deliberate Strategy', is formulated and implemented hierarchically and centrally; decisions a
S4E19: Arthur Tedder: A Coalition Strategist of War and Warfare with Air Marshal Edward Stringer
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Arthur Tedder was General Eisenhower's Deputy as Supreme Commander for Operation Overlord during the Second World War. A quiet and thoughtful leader, Tedder understood the difference between war and warfare and carefully orchestrated his campaigns – including the transportation plan concerning D-Day – in an alliance context to great effect. Tedder's strategic leaders
S4E18: Qasim Soleimani and the Strategy of Militant Proxies with Dr Afshon Ostovar
Qasim Soleimani was arguably Iran's most important military leader in modern history. He moved Iran's overall strategy from a direct approach to an indirect one of proxy warfare using non-state actors. Born in 1957, General Soleimani rose from a humble background to become a key commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His experience of the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–88 gave him a desire to
S4E17: José de San Martín: the Hannibal of Latin America? with Lieutenant General Diego Suñer
José de San Martín gained his military experience serving Spain and fighting the French, sometimes with the British,meeting Wellington, Beresford, and Napoleon. Having served for 22 years in the Spanish Army, Jose de San Martin brilliantly led the armies that overthrew the Spanish to liberate the southern countries of South America. With naval experience, in coordination with former British naval
S4E16: Alanbrooke, Churchill's Right-Hand General with Dr Andrew Sangster
The relationship between Winston Churchill and his leading military advisor, the abrasive General 'Shrapnel' Alan Brooke (1883–1963), was one of the most productive yet tensest in the history of civil-military relations. This episode delves into some of their strategic debates. Viscount Alanbrooke's relationship with Churchill was famously rocky, yet the two leaders trusted one another. It was due
S4E15: Generals Lee and Grant: Great Strategists of the American Civil War with Dr Christian Keller
Generals Ulysses S Grant and Robert E Lee commanded the opposing armies in the American Civil War, each the greatest military leader of their own side. Products of the Academy at West Point, they were both expert tacticians and, most importantly, understood their sides' strategic goals, limitations and opportunities, and led them accordingly. But Grant only really took charge in 1863, two years in
S4E14: Lord Peach: Evolving, Adopting and Adapting Alliance Strategy
Air Chief Marshal Lord Peach, the former Chair of NATO's Military Committee and architect of NATO's first new military strategy in 50 years, joins us to discuss the process of strategy-making in an Alliance context. Lord Peach is the UK's most experienced officer, having served in key 4-star appointments, including as the UK's Chief of the Defence Staff (2016–18) and as the 32nd Chair of the NATO
S4E13: Sergey Gorshkov, Architect of the Soviet Navy with Captain (ret.) Dr Kevin Rowlands
Admiral Sergey Georgyevich Gorshkov (1910–1988) was a celebrated hero of the so-called Great Fatherland War (1941–1945). He was Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Navy from 1956 until 1985, which he built up to be a navy fit for a superpower with global ambitions. He also furnished the navy's theoretical strategic underpinnings through a series of publications which were studied closely by friends a
S4E12: Tecumseh: America's First Whole-of-Society Strategy with Dr Kori Schake
In an epic achievement, Shawnee chief Tecumseh (1768–1813) brought together warring Native American tribes to stand up against the European settlers as they were pushing further West. His strategy included coalitions and the mobilisation of society as America had never seen before. In this episode, Beatrice and Paul are joined by Dr Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defence Policy at the Americ
S4E11: Napoleon Bonaparte: Soldier, Strategist, Emperor with Professor Alan Forrest
Napoleon is admired as one of the greatest strategists ever; he won most of his battles and dictated the terms of the peace treaties that ended his individual wars. Yet in the end, he was defeated, and his empire fell apart. So how great a strategist was he really? Napoleon's 'system of war' remained the point of reference for generations, interpreted and publicised by Jomini and Clausewitz. Profe
S4E10: Michiel de Ruyter: The Modest Admiral Who Kept the English at Bay with Dr David 'J.D.' Davis
Hailing from humble origins, Michiel Adrienszoon was later given the surname de Ruyter, the 'raider'. His greatest triumph was the Battle of Solebay in 1672. There he launched a pre-emptive strike against and defeated the English fleet as it prepared to attack the Netherlands jointly with the French. Originally a merchant sailor, Michiel de Ruyter operated in waters from the Baltic to the Mediterr
S4E9: Catherine the Great: Russia's Black Sea Expansion
Catherine II of Russia prided herself on being called 'emperor', not 'empress'. Having dumped her weak husband, she deployed her lovers strategically: one she made king of Poland, one she sent to conquer Crimea, and one to rule over it. Here are the origins of Russia's claims to Ukraine. Dr Kelly O'Neill, an historian of Russia at Harvard University, and the author of Claiming Crimea: A History of
S4E8: Gustavus Adolphus: Pioneer of Combined Arms Manoeuvre with Professor Gunnar Aselius
The Swedish campaigns in Central Europe in the Thirty Years' War are remembered in folklore for their brutality, for massacres of civilians and 'scorched earth' tactics. And yet, as their leader, King Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden (1594 – 1632) is remembered almost as a saint, even in these very same regions. King Gustavus Adolphus, an experienced military commander who had already fought and won
S4E7: Caesar: Rome's Defensive Expansion
Julius Caesar is famous for describing hugely complicated strategic problems, then adding his famous Vini, vidi, vici: 'I came, I saw, I conquered'. But what did his strategic genius consist of? And how did he justify extending the Roman Empire right across Western Europe? Did Rome acquire her empire, not quite in a fit of absent-mindedness, but defensively, or was she ruthlessly expansionist? Gai
S4E6: Yi Sun-sin: Korea's Greatest Commander
While most of the political and military commanders whom we now call 'great' were often ruthless or megalomaniacs, Korean Admiral Yi Sun-sin is remembered not only for his military prowess but also for his integrity and humility. He came to his nation's rescue in extremis when others had failed. The 15th and 16th century saw unprecedented creativity in naval warfare. The Chinese, Portuguese, Spani
S4E5: Frederick II of Prussia, The Philosopher King with Dr Adam Storring
Frederick II of Prussia, like the Era of the Enlightenment in which he lived, was torn about warfare: was it to be humanised, or was it to be perfected? As king he favoured the latter, earning the respect of contemporaries as the greatest strategist of his age. Frederick in his youth thought Machiavelli's instructions for princes morally reprehensible, and as a king surrounded himself with great m
S4E4: Alexander the Great: Son of Zeus with Dr Andrew Fear
Alexander III of Macedon posed as the 'Son of Zeus', but followed the advice of his biological father, King Philip II, to get out of Macedon and "seek a kingdom equal to yourself". Between 336 and 323 BC, Alexander the Great created the largest empire the Middle East had known. Macedonian expansionism had begun under Philip II, with his son Alexander II picking up and honing the armed forces creat
S4E3: Shaka Zulu: Africa's Greatest Commander? with Professor John Laband
Shaka Zulu (c. 1787–1828) was the most powerful king in southern Africa during the pre-colonial period. He forged a polity that would become the largest in the region through the ruthless use of his reorganised and loyal army. Initially regarded as an upstart, Shaka managed to impose himself as a regional ruler. Invaded by a powerful neighbouring tribe, he organised the collective defence of the Z
S4E2: Xerxes: The Persian Empire's Aegean Expansion with Dr John O. Hyland
Dr John O. Hyland joins Paul and Beatrice to discuss fifth-century BC Persian ruler Xerxes I, whose royal progress took him to the Western boundaries of his empire. Xerxes I tried to extend his rule beyond the Aegean, which his father had failed to accomplish. For a land power this was a challenge, despite the formidable army that Xerxes commanded. He used two strategic tools – engineering, to con
S4E1: Subotai the Valiant: Genghis Khan's Master Strategist
The credit for successful military campaigns often goes to the senior commander, when in fact, the brilliance of the operation and the planning happened at much lower levels of the organisation. This is the case with Subotai (1175 – 1248), Genghis Khan's leading general. Veteran and military historian Dr Angelo Caravaggio joins Paul and Beatrice to discuss Subotai, the brains behind Genghis Khan's
S3E12: Petraeus's 'Big Four': Brainstorm, Communicate, Implement, Assess
To conclude Season Three of Talking Strategy, US Army General (ret.) Dr David Petraeus shares with us his philosophy about making good strategy. A scholarly soldier with a long and varied career, he commanded the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in 2010–11 and subsequently served as director of the CIA. General Petraeus's experience has taught him that the best results can ar
S3E11: Raoul Castex: The Servitude of Strategy with Professor Martin Motte
Raoul Castex (1878–1968) was an active naval officer who theorised widely on strategy. As an advocate of 'jointness', he took a comprehensive approach rather than relying on any one service. A child of the predominant geopolitical fashions of his time, Castex was an advocate of keeping diplomats and ministers out of strategy-making during war, of an offensive strategy on all fronts (despite the ex
S3E10: Mao Zedong's Strategy for Revolutionary War with Professor Steve Tsang
Professor Steve Tsang joins Beatrice and Paul to discuss the founding father of the Chinese People's Republic, Mao Zedong. Mao was both a Leninist strategic theorist and the leader of the Chinese Communists in their fight to overthrow the Chinese nationalists – while not exerting themselves too much in the battle against Japanese occupation. There is a considerable gulf between Mao's theoretical w
S3E9: Sir Michael Quinlan and British Nuclear Strategy with Dr Tanya Ogilvie-White & Dr Kristan Stoddart
With a serious commitment to the 'Just War' tradition, Sir Michael Quinlan (1930–2009), chief British nuclear strategist of the late 1970s and 1980s, helped to construct the complex edifice of the British and NATO nuclear deterrence posture. Sir Michael was both a strategic analyst and, as a key British civil servant, a practitioner in so far as his analysis formed the British nuclear strategy. Th
S3E8: Continuation of Diplomacy by Other Means: Dietrich von Bülow with Dr Arthur Kuhle
Dietrich Heinrich von Bülow (1757–1807) was called 'everything from a conceited crank to the founder of modern military science' (R R Palmer). Probably the last Prussian strategist to sympathise with the French Revolution, he had a keen interest in the relationship between political aims and war as their instrument, and in geopolitics: he correctly prophesied that the 19th century would produce in
S3E7: T.E. Lawrence: Understanding Irregular Warfare's Cultural and Human Terrain with Dr Robert Johnson
Lawrence of Arabia is legendary status, Britain's most romantic strategic theorist-cum-practitioner; as 'al-Lorans', he won the hearts of many Arabs in their fight for independence from the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Dr Rob Johnson, the author of T.E. Lawrence's most recent biography, joins Beatrice and Paul for this week's episode. T.E. Lawrence's great classic article on 'guerril
S3E6: Net Assessment as a Tool of Strategy: Andrew Marshall, with Dr Thomas G Mahnken
Foreign policy strategist Andrew Marshall had a career that spanned seven decades from the late 1940s. He was hailed by a former KGB officer as 'the grey cardinal, the éminence grise' of the US revolution of military affairs, and as 'the great hero' of Chinese officers tracking developments in US military technology, claiming they had translated every word he wrote. Dr Thomas G Mahnken joins Talki
S3E5: Kautilya: India's Forerunner to Machiavelli? with Professor Kaushik Roy
Kautilya lived in India from 375 to 283 BC. He ranks alongside Sun Tzu as one of the great early sages who wrote about the relations between polities, and thus also about wars between them. Kaushik Roy, Guru Nanak Chair Professor at Jadavpur University, India, joins Beatrice and Paul to discuss his work. Kautilya's approach to strategy included an understanding of inter-polity relations that assum
S3E4: Aube and the Jeune Ecole: Strategy for the Weak
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 h
S3E3: John Warden: Lord of the Five Rings with Col Dr John Andreas Olsen
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 gra
S3E2: C E Callwell: Small Wars and Integrated Sea-Land Operations
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
S3E1: Jomini: Selling Napoleon's System with Professor Antulio Echevarria
Antoine-Henri Jomini was the strategist who anticipated Napoleon's movements – and the general who betrayed the emperor by defecting to the Russians for a better position. He was among the most widely read strategists of land warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To kick off Season 3 of Talking Strategy, Beatrice Heuser and Paul O'Neill are joined by Professor Antulio Echevarria to re
S2E12: A Practitioner's View: Competitive Strategy with Mick Ryan
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 th
