108 - The Competition for Superior Doctrine

108 - The Competition for Superior Doctrine

Author: James Eling February 9, 2024 Duration: 32:10

This is the third episode in a three part interview with Dr Robert Lyman about 'Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-40', a book he co-wrote with Lord Dannatt, who served as the Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009.

This episode looks at how lessons are learnt from victories and defeats and the difficulties in developing doctrine when not in combat.   We discuss the lessons from logistics doctrine development along with why it took so long for doctrine to be combat ready - for the British in was 2nd El Alamein.  Finally we look for the lessons from the interwar period for the contemporary strategic environment.

Check out the show notes for this Professional Military Education podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the podcast.  There is also a catalogue of episodes on Leadership, the Principles of War, military history, and Mission Command.


Hosted by James Eling, The Principles of War-Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership is a deep dive into the timeless patterns of conflict. This isn't just a recitation of dates and troop movements. Instead, each episode takes a pivotal historic battle and examines it through the lens of enduring military principles, extracting practical insights on strategy, combined arms, and command. The discussions are structured to serve as a resource for professional military education, condensing complex analyses into focused, thirty-minute sessions. You'll hear how decisions made centuries ago still resonate within modern doctrine, offering lessons on leadership and tactical execution that are applicable far beyond the battlefield. The aim is to provide these lessons in a compelling narrative format, moving beyond dry after-action reports. For anyone fascinated by how history informs present-day thinking in governance, organizational leadership, and strategic planning, this podcast functions as a regular, thought-provoking seminar. Tune in to explore the fundamental concepts that have shaped outcomes throughout military history and continue to define success in high-stakes environments.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.
Podcast Episodes
139 - Guadalcanal - Edson and the defence of Bloody Ridge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:11
This is the fifth episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland. This episodes discusses: Why was Henderson Field the single piece of decisive terrain on Guadalcanal? How did Edson know the mai…
137 - The Marines' Assault on Guadalcanal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:22
This is the third episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland. This episodes discusses: How the Marines seized conducted the landing and seized Guadalcanal's decisive terrain. Red Beach landi…
132 - Ten Battlefield Disruptors for Tomorrow's Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:37
How is the modern battlefield changing? What role is technology like Artificial Intelligence, drones, precision strike and electronic warfare changing command and control, ISR and combined arms? This is the first of 3 ep…