Aims

Brief description

In 1945 the British Army faced a series of challenges: the nuclear age; substantial commitments and diminishing resources; and whether to continue the 'continental commitment' , or to revert to the more traditional overseas emphasis. Continuing pressure on resources, the emergence of guerrilla movements, and the Soviet threat dominated the next 25 years until, in the late 1960s, Denis Healey's defence reviews appeared to resolve these tensions. New problems soon appeared, however, not least in Northern Ireland, while resource constraints continued to affect defence policy. In the 1990s, the end of the cold war required the Army to find a new focus in peacekeeping/humanitarian operations, while the Gulf War suggested the continued requirement for a modern and highly capable Army.

The module is taught through a series of lectures and team presentations on case studies. These presentations (usually by a team of three) are supported by tutorials and specialist lectures on presentation techniques and are designed both as an innovative teaching method and to provide transferable skills in presentation techniques.

Objectives

• Outline the development of British defence policy since 1945, including the role of the British Army.

• Discuss the British Army's approach to and conduct of conventional war.

• Discuss the British army's approach to counter-insurgency operations, and compare it with the practice of imperial policing.

• Outline the development of the Army's role in Northern Ireland since 1969.

10 ECTS Credits

Reading Lists