News, Articles and Comment

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers a book examining the largest sea battle in history, the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944.

Ed. The author argues that Britain’s current grand strategy has the hallmarks of uncertainty, having not yet settled on a strictly continentalist or purely maritime strategy one way or the other. If the Armed Forces are to be deployed effectively, it is imperative that clarity replace the current strategic ambiguity. Originally published in The Article. A 5 minute read.

Ed. Sixteen years ago, in response to a History Today article for the 66^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Rules of the Game author Andrew Gordon examined the question of the strategic significance of the air battle (in which FAA pilots took part), and emphasized the RN’s role in stopping the German invasion before it could begin. Republished here from NR 95/1 for the 83^rd anniversary of the Battle. A 15 minute read.

BRE. The latest book reviews are now available. The two reviews both consider books by Robin Knight, one on Mike Cumberlege and his exploits in the Second World War, the other looks at those who were pupils at Pangbourne before joining the armed forces, particularly the Royal Navy.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. it considers a short book exploring German and Italian efforts to develop carrier airpower in the lead up to, and during the Second World War.

Ed. No stranger to historical debate, the author defends the appeasement policy of the late 1930s in view of the dire need to buy time for rapid rearmament.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers a book examining the development of the Gaudalcanal-Solomons campaign through March-October 1943 in the southwest Pacific.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers a book on the Allied campaign in the Second World War to neutralise the Japanese strong point on Rabaul, following on from success at Gaudalcanal.

BRE. The latest book reviews are now available. One considers a reprint of a 1946 memoir of convoy and corvette operations in the Battle of the Atlantic. The other looks at the US approach the neutralisation of the Japanese bastion of Truk in the Pacific during the Second World War.