News, Articles and Comment

Ed. With critical decision-making in mind, our correspondent notes an illustrative case from the late Cold War, having had the potential for nuclear escalation.

Ed. The author proposes adapting the Royal Australian Navy’s ‘Ship Zero’ concept for the Royal New Zealand Navy, by providing a pathway for crew training and integration before platforms are fully delivered. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The author investigates the crisis planning and political justifications for the US invasion of the island nation of Grenada on 25^th October 1983. A 15 minute read.

Ed. The RNSSC author provides an appreciation of the strategic situation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and endorses an organic ‘multiplex’ as against a hegemonic ‘multipolar’ order for the region. A 35 minute read.

Ed. The author contends it is a fallacy that a US war with China over Taiwan could be contained to the western Pacific, and proposes a three-pronged strategy to counter the PRC. Originally published in the USNI’s Proceedings, November edition. A 10 minute read.

Ed. Churchill’s final volume of his war memoirs is titled Triumph and Tragedy: the theme of the volume is “how the great democracies triumphed and so were able to resume the follies which had so nearly cost them their life.” What did Churchill mean by tragedy? Was he referring to the incredible loss of life caused by the firestorms of Dresden and Tokyo or by the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Or was he lamenting the tragedy that, for most of Eastern Europe, he foresaw that one jackboot was to be replaced by another. As it wasn’t just the democracies that triumphed, the most successful victor of the Second World War was indeed Stalin claiming territories and spoils both in Europe and in Asia. Once again, we risk another tragedy as it looks increasingly likely the jackboots are on the rise.

Ed. With the war in Ukraine escalating into a European ‘grey zone’ conflict, the author considers the First Sea Lord fit to the task of reestablishing Britain’s maritime role in terms of NATO strategy, recognition of a leadership situation different yet similar to that of the early 20th century. A 10 minute read.

Ed. Our correspondent provides a Baltic perspective on Cdre Jermy’s recent analysis of peace prospects in the Russo-Ukraine War.

Ed. The author takes another look at the Russo-Ukraine War, critiquing a lack of geostrategic balance-of-power thought amongst Western leadership. Originally published in Brave New Europe. A 10 minute read.