Has the ‘Western’ way of war been as successful as the rhetoric would have us believe? Is it fit for future conflicts, against future adversaries, adaptable enough for the information and data age? How should it adapt? Over 75 episodes of the world-renowned podcast challenged leaders from the military, politics and industry – as well as world leading scholars – with the question: “What does the Western Way of War mean to you?”
The answers were as surprising as they were illuminating. If there was broad recognition that the West had been losing military engagements at a frightening rate, there was not a common cause identified by discussants. With his inimitable style of interview, Professor Peter Roberts draws out the key aspects of the Western Way of War from hugely diverse and expert witnesses, seeking answers to the key questions for failure and advice on necessary adaptation to reverse the record of Western military performance since the end of the Cold War. The podcast became required listening at staff colleges around the world; the book enables a new generation of military students in the profession of arms to test their own thinking against the challenges laid clear by host and guests alike.
By:
Prof. Peter Roberts
Imprint: Howgate Publishing Limited
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 13mm
Weight: 273g
ISBN: 9781912440504
ISBN 10: 1912440504
Pages: 188
Publication Date: 30 June 2024
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Foreword, by General Sir Graeme Lamb KBE, CMG, DSO Introduction 1 Reality Is a Terrible Adversary with General James Mattis 2 Operation Tethered Goat with William F. Owen 3 People as the Decisive Edge with Professor William Scott-Jackson 4 Nuclear Weapons with Dr Matthew Harries 5 Politics Is Everything with Rory Stewart 6 Hybrid Warfare with Ewan Lawson 7 The Media and War with Lucy Fisher 8 Military Procurement with Professor John Louth 9 Military Education with Dr Heather Venable 10 First Order Questions with Dr Eliot Cohen The Western Way of War: Can We Draw Conclusions? Bibliography
Former Royal Navy Officer, Professor Peter Roberts is Founder and CEO of Aurelius Lab Ltd., Senior Associate Fellow and former Director at RUSI, Professor of War and Warfare at Ecole de Guerre, Paris. Peter is well known for his role as podcast host on the ‘Western Way of War’, ‘This Means War’, ‘How to Train a Military’ and recently ‘Command and Control’, required listening for staff colleges the world over.
Reviews for The Western Way of War
“A deeply thoughtful compilation of interviews and reflections from some of the best strategic minds of our day. The western way of war, dominant for centuries, is today contested by global adversaries who seek to change the character of war. These essays explore why this is happening – and what the West can do to retain its warfighting edge.” Dr. Peter Mansoor, Col.(Ret.), U.S. Army Senior Fellow, Mershon Center for International Security Studies, Ohio State University “Westminster will soon have a major influx of new MP’s who will be faced with critical decisions about the long-term defence and security of the UK. To grasp the range and complexity of the questions they must ask, and the problems they must grapple with, they must avoid lazy assumptions about warfare. This book will make an excellent primer for those new parliamentarians.” Madeleine Moon, former UK Member of Parliament and Chair of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
