Charles E. Callwell and the British Way in Warfare

Presents the first full-length study of one of Britain's most important military thinkers, Major-General Sir Charles E. Callwell.

Daniel Whittingham (Author)

9781108703185, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 11 August 2022

286 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.39 kg

'Whittingham has produced a book that does full justice to Callwell as a military theorist and, in the process, has made a major contribution to the historiography of the British army.' Ian F. W. Beckett, IJMH review of Whittingham

Daniel Whittingham presents the first full-length study of one of Britain's most important military thinkers, Major-General Sir Charles E. Callwell (1859–1928). It tells the story of his life, which included service in military intelligence, the South African War, and on the General Staff before and during the First World War. It also presents the first comprehensive analysis of his writing: from his well-known books Small Wars (1896) and Military Operations and Maritime Preponderance (1905), to a host of other books and articles that are presented here for the first time. Through a study of Callwell's life and works, this book offers a new perspective on the nature and study of military history, the character of British strategy, and on the army to which he belonged.

1. Introduction: Charles E. Callwell and British strategy
2. Callwell's early career
3. 'An art by itself': Charles E. Callwell and small wars
4. 'Another page in the history of tactics': Charles E. Callwell and the South African war
5. Khaki-clad maritime theorist: Charles E. Callwell and amphibious warfare
6. 'I did my best to throw cold water on the scheme as a whole': Charles E. Callwell and the Dardanelles
7. Not 'one of that band of dug-outs who became dug-ins': Charles E. Callwell, the war and retirement, 1914–28
8. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Military tactics [JWKT], Theory of warfare & military science [JWA], Military history [HBW], British & Irish history [HBJD1]