Has any war in history gone according to plan? Monarchs, dictators and elected leaders alike have a dismal record on military decision-making, from over-ambitious goals to disregarding intelligence, terrain, or enemy capabilities.

‘How to Fight a War’ by former army officer and author Mike Martin is a crisp indispensable guide to understanding modern warfare.

In this episode, listen to Mike in conversation with The Times’ Diplomatic Editor and foreign affairs columnist Roger Boyes about the fundamentals of warfare, from infantry to information, and from strategy to tactics, in order to better understand today’s wars, and be more prepared for the coming decades of conflict.

For more visit hurstpublishers.com