Prominent historian Andrew Lambert illustrates how Julian Corbett (1854–1922), a lawyer, civilian, and Liberal, introduced a heightened level of logic, advocacy, and intellectual rigour to the formulation of strategy.
Corbett adeptly combined classical strategic theory with British historical context and the emerging dynamics of technology, geopolitics, and warfare to equip the British state for military engagement.
He asserted that strategy is a distinct national construct rather than a collection of universal principles, while also acknowledging the significance of domestic social reform and the evolving nature of the British Commonwealth.
Corbett’s vision of maritime strategy, which prioritized the control of global communications and economic warfare, endured the challenges of 1914-1918, during which Britain adopted the German “way of war” at an extraordinary cost in lives and resources.
This framework proved essential during the Second World War, influencing Churchill’s approach to the conflict from the Fall of France to D-Day. As Lambert demonstrates, Corbett’s insights continue to shape British strategic thought.
Author: Andrew Lambert | Publisher: Yale University Press | Published: 26 October 2021 | Pages: 544| ISBN: 0300250738 | Publisher’s page
