Historical Sensibility

Professor Sir Michael Eliot Howard OM CH CBE MC FBA FRHistS (1922–2019) was a co-founder of The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and latterly its president emeritus. Decorated for bravery in the Second World War, he served as Chichele Professor of the History of War and the Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford; Robert A Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale University; and was the founder of the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

‘This wonderful collection, containing pieces written by Sir Michael Howard over 60 years, will be enjoyed by his, and the Institute’s, many friends and admirers. Here will be found many reminders, written with Michael’s customary lucidity, of the big issues of the post-war period as they were seen at the time. In addition to a fascinating interview conducted not long before his death about the origins of the Institute, there are obituaries of many of the key and now too often forgotten figures of those early years.’-- Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College London‘Sir Michael’s exploration of policy judgement by fusing politics, strategy, history, ethics, and technology in the nuclear age is increasingly relevant in this complex age of artificial intelligence. His interdisciplinary approach continues to be a guide as we work to synthesize and solve the challenges presented by rapid technological advancements. The pieces contained here show both the continued relevance of his work, and his commitment to studying military history properly, in "depth," in "width," and in "context."’-- Dr Yoichi Funabashi, Chairman of Asia Pacific Initiative‘In an era of instant analysis and social media polemics, Sir Michael Howard’s depth of understanding, erudition and beautifully crafted prose serve as a welcome reminder that there exists another, better, way of gauging the forces of history and strategy. These are the writings of a man with rapier-sharp wit who speaks of war as someone with first-hand experience.’-- Professor François Heisbourg, Senior Advisor for Europe and former Chairman, IISS

• Introduction. John Chipman CMG, ‘Professor Sir Michael Eliot Howard OM CH CBE MC FBA FRHistS: a tribute’ 1. An interview with Sir Michael Howard 2. Present at the Creation 3. Book Reviews: Sociology and the military establishment 4. Book Reviews: Deterrence Or Defence 5. Book Reviews: Helmut Schmidt, Verteidigung oder Vergeltung 6. Letter to the Editor 7. Book Reviews: Beaufre and Aron books 8. Book Reviews: Deterrence Before Hiroshima: The Airpower Background of Modern Strategy 9. Book Reviews: Neither Liberty nor Safety: A Hard Look at US Military Policy and Strategy 10. Israel and the Arab World: The Crisis of 1967 11. The Classical Strategists 12. Obituary: B.H.L.H. 1895–1970 13. Book Reviews: The Roots of War: The Men and Institutions Behind US Foreign Policy 14. Obituary: P. M. S. Blackett 15. Order and Conflict at Sea in the 1980s 16. Letter to the Editor 17. Book Reviews: Offense and Defense in the International System 18. Obituary: Sir John Slessor Marshall of the Royal Air Force 19. Deterrence, Consensus and Reassurance in the Defence of Europe 20. Obituary: Raymond Aron 1905–1983 21. In memoriam: Hedley Bull 1932–1985 22. IISS – The First Thirty Years: A General Overview 23. The remaking of Europe 24. Brodie, Wohlstetter and American nuclear strategy 25. Old Conflicts and New Disorders 26. Lessons of the Cold War 27. When Are Wars Decisive? 28. Are We At War? 29. Review Essay: History, Tragedy and Farce