How to transform an Army

I enjoyed a talk given this week by Anthony McGee CBE, Director of Project RAPSTONE in the UK MOD. All good stuff, of course.

History has much to tell us about transforming armies, especially as the metal is beginning to fly. The story of the British Army in the Great War, of the 21st Army Group in 1944 and the 14th Army in 1944 are all examples of how armies, when pushed to the wall, can (sometimes, given the right circumstances, and leadership) pull out the stops to enable them to transform from defeat to victory. Indeed, Field Marshal Bill Slim’s magnificent book of that title, the best general’s book of the Second World War, tells this story brilliantly with respect to Burma.

Today’s Book Friday was an opportunity to recommend three books on this general subject, one by me (and General Lord Dannatt) and two by others, Barney White-Spunner and Aimee Fox.

Enjoy!