BUILDING A FUTURE ARMY

Sir Barney White-Spunner discusses his latest book, a study of five armies that shaped Europe

- INTERVIEW TIM WILLIAMSON

Sir Barney White-Spunner KCB CBE served for over 30 years in the British Army, including as Commander of the Field Army, before retiring in 2011.

Since then he has become an acclaimed historian, with publications ranging on topics from the Household Cavalry (his former regiment), and Indian Partition.

His latest book, Nations in Arms, explores the purpose and makeup of successful armies through five historical case studies. From the forces of Emperor Constantine to the US Army of 1941, White-Spunner recounts how and why these armies were successful, threading the core principles that across decades have prevailed. He spoke with History of War about his approach to the book, and how his conclusions could shape armies of the future.

What event prompted you to write this book?

I think it was the reaction to Ukraine. I really started thinking about it from then. Ukraine has made armies think about things tactically in a very different way. Some of the lessons are fairly obvious like drones, but it just got me thinking that this is probably one of those moments when you need to think about the concept of armies and the defence of societies rather differently. The old adage of you just simply spend more on what you've got, on slightly narrower parameters, may not be relevant anymore.

The other thing that also struck me is just how much armed forces across the world are being dragged into doing other things like disaster relief. I use the example of the Australian Army and flooding, but you also have COVID. Who does all the pandemic distribution of medicines? The army. Who gets the blame in Spain for the Seville flood relief? The army. Society is now going to have to confront a whole new range of threats - environmental, pandemic, migration - and how that manifests is hugely complicated.