WarStudiesPrimer.org(tm) : An introductory course on the study of war and military history

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One of the goals of this course is to equip you with an intellectual toolkit for the multi-disciplinary study of war that will allow you to embark upon a course of lifelong learning regarding war and its role in society. Here are some recommended resources for your toolkit:

The Canadian Forces College Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs is a military news aggregator site that is updated daily and serves as an open source version of the Pentagon's Early Bird. The best one-stop shop to find out what is going on in the world today, military-wise.

Here is an excellent news Web site:

Here are two excellent podcasts: Here are two excellent radio programs available as podcasts: Here are four excellent magazines with excellent foreign correspondents who report in-depth from the field that can help keep you current on geopolitical affairs: Here are four excellent television programs that cover military history and geopolitics very well: The best television channel to watch to gain a deeper understanding of the Middle East and the developing world: Here is the one book to read that best covers current military affairs: How to Make War (Fourth Edition) by James F. Dunnigan.

The finest military historian to read is Sir John Keegan. His most acclaimed books are "The Face of Battle" which describes what life is like for the soldier, and "The Mask of Command" which describes what leadership is like for the officers. All of his books are excellent.

Here are a number of excellent TED Talks and the topics they relate to:

The BBC Radio 4 series In Our Time has covered many of the topics in this course, in roundtable discussion format. Related episodes may be found in its History Archive.

The BBC Radio 4 series Great Lives has covered many of the individuals in this course, in roundtable discussion format. Related episodes may be found in its Archive.


Curated by Michael P. D'Alessandro, M.D. and © 2004-2024