Why does war take place? To the prince or the dictator, war is a matter of pride, of advancing their career and establishing their personality. To the merchant war is a regrettable interruption of their normal form of business and way of life, or perhaps a business opportunity? And to the peasant, was it a passage to a bloody death or an opportunity to return home rich? Military Times is devoted to the study of war — and to the study of peace, because often the soldiers are the peacekeepers. All aspects of war in all countries and in all periods will be the subject of our enquiry.
Who were the great commanders? Who were the commanders who led their forces to victory through the sheer force of their personality? And who were the deep thinkers who out-thought their opponents and won through the brilliance of their strategy? And how many were an inspired combination of the two? Military Times will look at these complex and sometimes contradictory characters.
How do you win a battle? Every battle has its individual characteristics, but how far can general lessons be drawn from these battles? Is every battle unique, the product of its time and military learning? Are there lessons from the battle of Marathon that are still applicable on the battlefield today?
And when the war was over, who really won? Was the war really necessary? And how long is it before you can tell? These are the difficult questions, but they are questions that need to be asked in any study of war — or indeed of peace. Military Times will not be afraid to ask these awkward questions and challenge the consensus and to make you think. We will not be provocative for the sake of being provocative, but we will raise the questions. You must supply the answers.
