The Dead Prussian Podcast

This short episode is a book review of War, what is it good for? by Professor Ian Morris. The book is a study of war and its effect on civilisations through out history.

Mick reviews the book and gives it a rating from our new review rating system. 

In this episode Mick chats with Dr Bleddyn Bowen, a lecturer in Defence Studies at Kings College London and a space power theorist. They discuss Big Carl's theories applied to war in space, tactics of space warfare, cosmic coastlines, and which SciFi show/movie did it best!

Bleddyn also provides a very non-space related answer to the final question.

Note:This is the first episode for 2017. 

In this episode Mick chats with MAJGEN Roland De Vries (retd), a former South African Army officer who fought in the Angolan Border wars and has written on his experiences and the tactics of mobile warfare in Eye of the Firestorm. They also discuss the implications of peace negotiations at the tactical level and rapid capability acquisition.

Roland provides the final definition of war for the 2016 canon.

Note:This is the final episode for 2016. 

In this episode Mick chats with Dr Nicholas Clements, an author, history teacher and adjunct researcher at the University of Tasmania. They discuss the Black War in Tasmania during the 1820s and 1830s. Nick explains the causes and course of the war as well as providing some insight into how the war effected each side. 

Nick adds to the growing definitions of war complied by the show.

Note: Some elements of the audio are rough due to Mick recording in a car in a hospital car park during a storm... 

In this episode Mick chats with Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria, II, editor of the U.S. Army War College Quarterly, Parameters. They discuss the theory of the nature of war, it's changeable character and enduring elements. Antulio uses the weather as a useful metaphor to explain #BigCarl's theory while Mick demonstrates his lack of sports knowledge with a metaphor of his own.

Antulio also provides a comprehensive definition of war.

PANEL SHOW!!! The talented team at The Strategy Bridge lined up some great guests for Mick to chat with about the ethics of managing, waging and conducting war. The panel topics range from Just War Theory and its application to strategic decision making through to the actions of the soldiers in the coalface. There is even mention of the Bard and how we can learn from the play about Henry V.

The panelists included former and current military officers as well as a philosopher on ethics. In fact, you can read their impressive bios below.

Guest Bios: 

Lieutenant General James Dubik, (ret), Ph.D., retired from the U.S. Army in July 2008. Professor at Georgetown University's Center for Security Studies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for the Study of War, as well as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Security Advisory Council, and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. During 2012-2013, he was the General Omar N . Bradley Chair in Strategic Leadership sponsored by Penn State Law, Dickinson College, and the U.S. Army War College. He is also a member of the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame and a distinguished member of the U.S. Army 75th Ranger Regiment. His book - Just War Reconsidered: Strategy, Ethics, and Theory was released this year.

Dr Pauline Shanks Kaurin is an academically trained philosopher and ethicist, interested in military ethics, business ethics and applying ethical thinking to policy questions. She is currently Associate professor of philosophy, Chair Department of Philosophy at Pacific Lutheran University. She is the author of The Warrior, Military Ethics and Contemporary Warfare - Achilles Goes Asymmetrical. You can follow her on twitter via @queenofthinair.

Thomas McDermott joined the British Army in 2001, and the Australian Army in 2015.  He has served in combat and staff roles in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is now studying strategy at the Australian National University.  You can follow him on Twitter via @helmandproject.

In this episode Mick chats with Dr Vanda Wilcox, a lecturer at John Cabot University in Rome and the author of 'Morale and the Italian Army during the First World War'. They discuss the concept of morale and how it can effect a military force during war. Vanda also provides Mick with examples from the Italian Army during the First World War to highlight..

Vanda adds her definition of war to The Dead Prussian's collection.

In this episode Mick chats with Dr Peter Dean, a lecturer at the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University. They discuss an Australian officer from the Second World War, Lieutenant General Francis Horton Berryman. They discuss Berryman's career and his role in Operation Postern, the successful campaign to expel the Japanese from Papua New Guinea.

Peter also provides a definition of war.

In this episode Mick chats with Aaron Pegram, a historian at the Australian War Memorial. They discuss Australian soldiers who became prisoners of war on the Western Front in the First World War. 

Aaron also provides a long, yet eloquent, response to the final question.

In this episode Mick chats with Dr Sharon Mascall-Dare, an award winning journalist, army officer and academic. They took time out of producing the Australian Army Training & Doctrine podcast to discuss the myths and untold stories of the Anzac legend. 

Sharon also provides her view on what war is.