The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

132 - Ten Battlefield Disruptors for Tomorrow's Wars

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 episodes with retired Colonel John Antal, who has studied 2nd Nagorno-Karabakh, recent Israeli battles and the war in Ukraine. Check out the show notes 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 podc...

131 - Amphibious Ambitions and Island Defeats - How Kinman and Hainan shaped China's Navy

This is the second of a two-part series looking at the origin story of the PLA Navy. This episode looks at the crucial Kinmen and Hainan Islands campaigns. This is an interview with Dr Toshi Yoshihara, an expert in the history of China's Navy. How was each campaign planned and executed? What were the results for the Chinese Navy? What did the PLA Navy learn from these campaigns? How have these early littoral manoeuvre campaigns shaped the PLA today? We discuss the roles of Mao Zedong, Lin Biao, ...

130 - From River Crossings to Amphibious Operations - How the PLA Built a Navy from scratch and learned littoral manoeuvre

129 - Slim in Burma - Innovation, Air Power and Special Forces

How did Field Marshall Slim innovate in the Burma Campaign? This is a look at military innovation through necessity that developed key capabilities for the 14th Army to defeat the Japanese forces in the Burma theatre. We discuss: Slim's innovation overcame critical resource shortages in Burma. Developed aerial resupply, air evacuation, and improvised naval logistics. Used teakwood barges to cross rivers with tanks. Created monsoon-proof airfields with hessian and tar. Strong advocate of Special ...

128 - Rebuilding an Army: Morale, Leadership, Training and Mission Command in the 14th Army with Slim

How did Slim rebuild the 14th Army after it's 1,000 mile withdrawal from Burma? We look at how lessons were learnt and doctrine was developed to forge an Army capable of taking on the Japanese. We discuss the important question - what makes an Army officer a good trainer of soldiers. This interview is the second part of a 3 part series with Dr Robert Lyman, the expert on the Burma Campaign and Field Marshall Sir William Slim. Check out the show notes for the podcast for all of the information th...

127 - The General who wouldn't quit: Slim and the longest retreat

The withdrawal from Burma was almost 1,000 miles in 100 days and yet Slim, as commander of Burma Corps, maintained his optimism throughout the operation. We look at Slim's early career and background to study his optimism and resilience in the face of an overwhelmingly poor tactical situation. This interview is the first part of a 3 part series with Dr Robert Lyman, the expert on the Burma Campaign and Field Marshall Sir William Slim. Check out the show notes for the podcast for all of the infor...

126 - Care of the wounded on the Kokoda Track

This episode looks at the care of the wounded on the Kokoda Track. What level of care did sick and wounded soldiers receive? Why was the medical planning still being conducted whilst the Battle of Isurava was in progress? What was the issue with medical logistics and how were casualties to be casevaced from the battlefield? We listen to the story of CAPT Stan Bissett as he describes how his brother Butch was wounded just north of Isurava and later died of his wounds. Medical care was provided un...

The Military Decision Making and Planning Process

This episode is a cross-post from The Cove Podcast . This is a recording of MAJGEN Mick Krause, AM - the author the new ADF-I-5 doctrine - Decision Making and Planning Processes. He presented a PME session at Holdsworthy Barracks to discuss the new doctrine. ADF-I-5 Decision Making and Planning Processes replaces the Joint JMAP (Joint Military Appreciation Process) doctrine along with the Army LWD 5-1-4 The Military Appreciation Process. It covers in role of the Commander in the planning process...

125 - Medical considerations on the Kokoda Track

What medical treatment was avaiable for the soldiers fighting on the Kokoda Track. How were ill and injured soldiers cared for and what were the difficulties in providing surgical and medical care in the austere conditions of the Jungles of Kokoda? This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. Check out the show notes for the 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....

124 - Leadership lessons from the Jungles of Vietnam with Gary McKay

This episode is the second of a two part interview with retired LTCOL Gary McKay, who was a Platoon Commander in Vietnam, in D Coy, 4 RAR. He fought in Op Ivanhoe at the battle of Nui Le, where he was wounded. For his awarded the Military Cross for his performance during the battle. He was later the Commanding Officer of 8/9 RAR between 1988 and 1990. This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. The training, doctrine and tactics used in Vietnam are a legacy of the expensive lesson...

123 - Jungle Combat in Vietnam with Gary McKay

This episode is the first of a two part interview with retired LTCOL Gary McKay, who was a Platoon Commander in Vietnam, in D Coy, 4 RAR. He fought in Op Ivanhoe at the battle of Nui Le, where he was wounded. For his awarded the Military Cross for his performance during the battle. He was later the Commanding Officer of 8/9 RAR between 1988 and 1990. This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. It specifically looks at how Australian soldiers were prepared for combat in the jungle ...

122 - Japanese Lessons Learnt for Jungle Warfare

This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. This episode is Part 5 of our interview with Dr with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. This episode looks at the introduction of the Jungle Scales Division into the Australian Army, the development of the Owen Gun and finally how the Japanese adapted to Australian tactically impro...

121 - The Jungle Warfare Training Centre, Canungra

This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. This episode is Part 4 of our interview with Dr with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. This episode discusses the development of the Jungle Warfare Training Centre, Canungra, the role that it played in preparing soldiers for combat in the Jungle and the legacy it created for the A...

120 - Preparing for Combat in the Jungle

This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. This episode looks at Jungle Warfare Doctrine Development, with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. We look at how the soldiers prepared for combat in the Jungle against the Imperial Japanese Army. What were the barriers to the lessons learnt process? We look at the British Army and...

119 - Learning to learn: Jungle Warfare

This episode continues our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series. This episode looks at Jungle Warfare Doctrine Development, with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. We discuss how the Australian Army learnt to learn, starting to collate the lessons learnt from combat with the Japanese in the Jungles, and the process to turn that into doctrine. Ch...

118 - Jungle Warfare Doctrine Development in the Australian Army

We return to the fetid jungles of New Guinea and our Kokoda Campaign Podcast series , looking at the 53rd Battalion and it's combat performance at Isurava. This episode is the start of a series looking at Jungle Warfare Doctrine Development, with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. Check out the show notes for the podcast for all of the inf...

117 - Lessons learnt from Drone combat in Ukraine

This special episode is an interview with Sam Bendett from the Center for a New American Security and is an expert on UAS Combat between Ukraine and Russia. This interview covers the lessons learnt so far in the rapidly evolving UAS combat. We discuss how drone combat has evolved from the point of view of the Russian and Ukrainian forces, how it is impacting manouvre on the battlefield and how the combined arms effect is generated with a range of UAS platforms. From FPV (First Person View) drone...

116 - Air Power during the Kokoda and Milne Bay Campaigns.

How did air power influence the Kokoda Campaign? We review the employment of air power and compare it with the Milne Bay operation, where Air Power's effect was described as 'decisive' by both MAJGEN Clowes and LTGEN Rowell. The episode picks up the story with the elevation of Les Jackson to CO of No 75 Squadron after the death of his brother, John. We discuss the importance of training pilots for the responsibilities for Squadron Command and the requirement for a panel of potential candidates, ...

115 - No. 75 Squadron Leadership at Port Moresby

What was RAAF Leadership like in No. 75 Squadron at Port Moresby. We look at the career and Leadership of Squadron Leader John Jackson, a great RAAF pilot who lead from the front. We look at the tactics that he developed to fight the more agile Japanese Zeroes and what was it that caused him to ignore his own tactics on the day that he was shot down and killed. This is Part 17 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of battalions on the Kokoda Track and ...

114 - P40Es vs Zeroes - 75 Squadron and their 44 days at Port Moresby

How did the P-40E compare against the Japanese Zero? We look at how Australia was prepared for the war in the air over Port Moresby. How well were the pilots prepared and how well was the squadron bought up to operational standard? This is Part 16 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of battalions on the Kokoda Track and how the militia were prepared for combat at the tactical, operational and strategic level. This episode looks at the first combats f...

113 - 75 Squadron and the Kokoda Campaign

It was 900 days from the declaration of war against Germany in 1939 to the bombing of Darwin. When Darwin was bombed, there were no RAAF fighters to defend, and it was three weeks before Darwin was had fighter coverage (and they were US fighters). We look at how the RAAF was prepared for war, prepared for war for Japan and prepared to defend Australia. This is Part 15 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of battalions on the Kokoda Track and how the m...

112 - Combined Arms on the Kokoda Track

This is Part 14 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of battalions on the Kokoda Track and how the militia were prepared for combat at the tactical, operational and strategic level. This episode looks at how the Australians and the Japanese generated combined arms on the Kokoda Track. Check out the show notes for the 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 po...

111 - Friendly Fire on the Kokoda Track

This is Part 13 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of the 53rd Battalion and how the militia were prepared for combat at the tactical, operational and strategic level. This episode looks at the tragic friendly fire incident that occured during the Battle of Isurava, where the 2/14th C Company attacked into the Battalion Headquarters. What were the factors in this and how could it have been avoided? Check out the show notes for the podcast for all of...

110 - The JIPOE / IPB for the Kokoda Track

This is Part 12 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of the 53rd Battalion and how the militia were prepared for combat at the tactical, operational and strategic level. The Kokoda Campaign for the Japanese is a manifestation of the effects of the manourvrist approach. We then discuss MAJGEN Basil Morris - at the time he took over command of the 8th Military District he was a substantive Colonel. We look at the Joint Intelligence Preparation of the Op...

109 - Operational mistakes in the Kokoda Campaign

This is Part 11 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , focusing on the combat performance of the 53rd Battalion and how the militia were prepared for combat at the tactical, operational and strategic level. This episode commences our assessment of the operational level, but before we start, we will look at the psychiatric cost of training and fighting in the jungle. David Woolley has done an excellent job in documenting issues on the Kokoda Track and suggests some solutions to increasing...

108 - The Competition for Superior Doctrine

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 Brit...

107 - British Combined Arms doctrine in the inter war period

This is the second 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 the lessons learnt in the victories of 1918 with Combined Arms were forgotten in the interwar period. Robert discusses the impact of the desire to avoid another Second World War, the resistance to creating an Expeditionary Army for continental Europe, t...

106 - Combined Arms Doctrine Development in the First World War

This is the first in a three part interview with Dr Robert Lyman about 'Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-40', a book he cowrote with Lord Dannatt, who served as the Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009. This episode looks at the doctrine development that occurred in the First World War as the British Army developed it's skills in Combined Arms, culminating in the ability to fight and win the battles of the 100 days. We look to answer the question - how does an Army learn to learn...

105 - Ralph Honner, the 39th Battalion and Kokoda

This is Part 10 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , looking at the combat performance of the 39th Battalion. The 39th Battalion was one of Australia's best Battalions. Formed in Victoria, it's story is similar to that of the 53rd Battalion- but with some key differences. We look at those differences with Dr David Cameron, an expert on the Battles of the Kokoda campaign. Have a listed Dr David Cameron, an expert on the Kookoda Campaign as he discusses the history and performance of the...

104 - The 39th Battalion on the Kokoda Track

This is Part 9 of our series looking at the Kokoda Campaign , looking at the combat performance of the 39th Battalion. This episode discusses the formation of the 39th Battalion, it's preparation for combat and how it performed on the Kokoda Trail. The 39th Battalion is one of the Australian Army's most famous Battalion, a militia battalion that bore the brunt of the Japanese attacks down the Kokoda track. What enabled it to fight so well? Have a listed Dr David Cameron, an expert on the Kookoda...