“History offers no ‘lessons’ for military officers. It does though provide a rich context for understanding the terrible phenomenon that was, is, and will remain war” – LTGEN Paul van Riper.
Welcome to Chesterfield Strategy; a place to discuss the Profession of Arms.
Chesterfield Strategy is a place for academics, military professionals of all ranks, and other interested individuals to discuss the history, and the future of war and strategy. This blog aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion on the profession of arms and build upon the already existing intellectual framework for the future.
As Professor Sir Michael Howard said “The true use of history, whether civil or military, is not to make man clever for the next time, it is to make him wise forever”. It is critical therefore for those interested in the profession of arms to continually engage in discussion and learn from each other.
As practitioners of war, it is important to maintain flexibility of thought; to use judgement and decide what is appropriate to the context of the situation we are faced with. Military professionals can utilise historical themes to help recognise potential problems in the future. This allows them to develop ways to think, rather than provide solutions to specific problems. Instead of simply measuring the performance of those who have been practitioners before us, we must use history to better frame problems and consider new and innovative ways to solve them.
Consider Chesterfield Strategy an online version of the mess. So pour yourself a drink, take a seat by the fire, and engage in some intellectual conversation.