Was There a ‘Monty Method’ After the Second World War? Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery and the Changing Character of Land Warfare, 1945-195

TY - JOUR

T1 - Was There a ‘Monty Method’ After the Second World War? Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery and the Changing Character of Land Warfare, 1945-195

AU - Moody, Simon

PY - 2016/4/1

Y1 - 2016/4/1

N2 - This article argues that the post-war military thought of Field Marshal Montgomery was much more progressive than is suggested by his biographers or by the literature on British military thought after 1945. A closer inspection of Montgomery’s official, public, and private writings reveals that the Field Marshal was quick to acknowledge the rapidly changing character of land warfare. It is maintained that important considerations pertaining to the size and composition of land forces, tactical doctrine, command and control, and battlefield technique were reconceptualized by Montgomery against the new background of nuclear land combat.

AB - This article argues that the post-war military thought of Field Marshal Montgomery was much more progressive than is suggested by his biographers or by the literature on British military thought after 1945. A closer inspection of Montgomery’s official, public, and private writings reveals that the Field Marshal was quick to acknowledge the rapidly changing character of land warfare. It is maintained that important considerations pertaining to the size and composition of land forces, tactical doctrine, command and control, and battlefield technique were reconceptualized by Montgomery against the new background of nuclear land combat.

U2 - 10.1177/0968344514552348

DO - 10.1177/0968344514552348

M3 - Article

SN - 0968-3445

VL - 23

SP - 210

EP - 229

JO - War in History

JF - War in History

IS - 2

ER -