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73 - 1st Battle of Bullecourt - The Australian Infantry's most brilliant achievement

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

Release Date: 09/30/2021

128 - Rebuilding an Army: Morale, Leadership, Training and Mission Command in the 14th Army with Slim show art 128 - Rebuilding an Army: Morale, Leadership, Training and Mission Command in the 14th Army with Slim

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

How did Slim rebuild the 14th Army after it's 1,000 mile withdrawal from Burma? We look at how lessons were learnt and doctrine was developed to forge an Army capable of taking on the Japanese.  We discuss the important question - what makes an Army officer a good trainer of soldiers. This interview is the second part of a 3 part series with Dr Robert Lyman, the expert on the Burma Campaign and Field Marshall Sir William Slim. Check out the  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into...

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127 - The General who wouldn't quit: Slim and the longest retreat show art 127 - The General who wouldn't quit: Slim and the longest retreat

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

The withdrawal from Burma was almost 1,000 miles in 100 days and yet Slim, as commander of Burma Corps, maintained his optimism throughout the operation. We look at Slim's early career and background to study his optimism and resilience in the face of an overwhelmingly poor tactical situation. This interview is the first part of a 3 part series with Dr Robert Lyman, the expert on the Burma Campaign and Field Marshall Sir William Slim. Check out the  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into...

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126 - Care of the wounded on the Kokoda Track show art 126 - Care of the wounded on the Kokoda Track

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode looks at the care of the wounded on the Kokoda Track. What level of care did sick and wounded soldiers receive? Why was the medical planning still being conducted whilst the Battle of Isurava was in progress? What was the issue with medical logistics and how were casualties to be casevaced from the battlefield? We listen to the story of CAPT Stan Bissett as he describes how his brother Butch was wounded just north of Isurava and later died of his wounds.  Medical care was provided under the most difficult conditions, in the jungle, in steep terrain and during the...

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The Military Decision Making and Planning Process show art The Military Decision Making and Planning Process

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode is a cross-post from .  This is a recording of MAJGEN Mick Krause, AM - the author the new ADF-I-5 doctrine - Decision Making and Planning Processes.  He presented a PME session at Holdsworthy Barracks to discuss the new doctrine. ADF-I-5 Decision Making and Planning Processes replaces the Joint JMAP (Joint Military Appreciation Process) doctrine along with the Army LWD 5-1-4 The Military Appreciation Process.  It covers in role of the Commander in the planning process and the importance of timeliness in the decision making and production of orders process. Check...

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125 - Medical considerations on the Kokoda Track show art 125 - Medical considerations on the Kokoda Track

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

What medical treatment was avaiable for the soldiers fighting on the Kokoda Track.  How were ill and injured soldiers cared for and what were the difficulties in providing surgical and medical care in the austere conditions of the Jungles of Kokoda? This episode continues our   Check out the  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the podcast.

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124 - Leadership lessons from the Jungles of Vietnam with Gary McKay show art 124 - Leadership lessons from the Jungles of Vietnam with Gary McKay

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode is the second of a two part interview with retired LTCOL Gary McKay, who was a Platoon Commander in Vietnam, in D Coy, 4 RAR.  He fought in Op Ivanhoe at the battle of Nui Le, where he was wounded.  For his awarded the Military Cross for his performance during the battle.  He was later the Commanding Officer of 8/9 RAR between 1988 and 1990. This episode continues our The training, doctrine and tactics used in Vietnam are a legacy of the expensive lessons learnt in the jungles of New Guinea. Gary discusses the Battle of Nui Le, a part of Op Ivanhoe.  Gary...

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123 - Jungle Combat in Vietnam with Gary McKay show art 123 - Jungle Combat in Vietnam with Gary McKay

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode is the first of a two part interview with retired LTCOL Gary McKay, who was a Platoon Commander in Vietnam, in D Coy, 4 RAR.  He fought in Op Ivanhoe at the battle of Nui Le, where he was wounded.  For his awarded the Military Cross for his performance during the battle.  He was later the Commanding Officer of 8/9 RAR between 1988 and 1990. This episode continues our It specifically looks at how Australian soldiers were prepared for combat in the jungle and also looks at what makes jungle combat one of the most difficult types of terrain to fight in. As you are...

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122 - Japanese Lessons Learnt for Jungle Warfare show art 122 - Japanese Lessons Learnt for Jungle Warfare

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode continues our This episode is Part 5 of our interview with Dr with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. This episode looks at the introduction of the Jungle Scales Division into the Australian Army, the development of the Owen Gun and finally how the Japanese adapted to Australian tactically improvements in Jungle Warfare. Check out the  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as...

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121 - The Jungle Warfare Training Centre, Canungra show art 121 - The Jungle Warfare Training Centre, Canungra

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode continues our This episode is Part 4 of our interview with Dr with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. This episode discusses the development of the Jungle Warfare Training Centre, Canungra, the role that it played in preparing soldiers for combat in the Jungle and the legacy it created for the Australian Army as experts in jungle warfare. Check out the  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this...

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120 - Preparing for Combat in the Jungle show art 120 - Preparing for Combat in the Jungle

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This episode continues our This episode looks at Jungle Warfare Doctrine Development, with Dr Adrian Threlfall, an expert in how the Australian Army learned to learn about combat in the jungles of Malaya, Singapore, Papua, New Guinea, and many other islands to the north of Australia. We look at how the soldiers prepared for combat in the Jungle against the Imperial Japanese Army.  What were the barriers to the lessons learnt process?  We look at the British Army and allies in Burma, the Marines on Guadalcanal and the Australian Army in New Guinea. Check out the  for the...

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This Episode looks at the lessons for the employment of Artillery at the 1st Battle of Bullecourt.  CEW Bean, the author of the official History wrote that Australian troops braved the odds in numerous battles, but that Bullecourt was the most

brilliant of these achievements, impressing both enemy and friends alike.

This Bullecourt miniseries is part of our 150th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Artillery series.

We look at the strategic picture in 1917, with Germany realising that time is on the side of the Allies. The commencement of unrestricted warfare is an attempt to deny Great Britain the resources required to remain in the war, setting the conditions for the war to be won, before the United States mobilisation makes victory impossible.

The last of the ANZAC Divisions arrived on the Western Front in November 1916 - this was Monash's 3rd Australian Infantry Division.  On the 23rd of February, German troops started thinning out the line and Operation Alberich, the withdrawal to the Siegfried Line.

Operation AlberichThe Germans termed the withdrawal Operation Alberich, after Alberich the dwarf who fashions a ring out of Rhine Gold. The ring he forges grants the power to rule the world. The Siegfried Line was named after a legendary hero of Germanic legend who slew a dragon and was later was later murdered. He may have been based on Arminius of the Tuetoburg Forest. These legends were featured in Wagner's Ring Cycle, an epic Opera over 4 nights with the last night entitled Gotterdammerung, The Twilight of the Gods.

Trench foot Australian Army Western Front 1916 DecemberThe winter of 1916-17 was the worst in the last 40 years and the conditions took a terrible toll on the soldiers in the front lines. Here Australian Army Medical Corps members evacuate cold casualties.

In December 1916, Joffre was replaced with General Robert Nivelle. Originally Lloyd George wanted to place Haig under Nivelle, which would have simplified command arrangements, but Haig would not countenance the idea. Haig was keen to create his own breakthrough if possible, but this would be difficult with the main effort, the Nivelle Offensive, receiving the majority of the guns and ammunition.

The nivelle OffensiveSupporting the French Nivelle Offensive was the reason for the Arras Offensive. The British would draw German troops into the Arras area, and potentially trigger the German committal of their Reserve, setting the conditions for the French breakthrough further North.

Gough - The ThrusterGough, was termed the Thruster. Commander of Fifth Army. A cavalry Officer, he exhibited the best and worst tendencies of cavalry officers.

Bullcourt, in the Queant area was to support Allenby's Third Army's attack at Arras. Allenby's attack was also supported at Vimy by the Canadian Corps under LT GEN Byng. This will be the subject of another podcast partially to celebrate 150 years of Canadian Artillery - UBIQUE!, and partially to compare and contrast with Bullecourt. The Battle at Bullecourt literally became the textbook example of how not to conduct a battle - it was taught in British Staff Colleges of the dangers of poor planning. Vimy Ridge is almost the perfect juxtaposition - Byng vs Gough, detailed planning vs big hands small map, artillery vs no artillery, CBSO vs little effective counter battery effects, ammunition allocation (50,000 tons were fired in pre H-Hour fires), vs an inadequate allocation, enough guns vs clearly insufficient numbers of batteries, and coordination and cooperation across corps vs little coordination. The Vimy Ridge battle was an exemplar of how to attack a strongly defended objective in the First World War and many of the techniques developed at Vimy would be used by Monash in 1918 in his first Battle as Corps Commander in the Battle of Hamel.

The Arras Offensive MapThe Bullecourt Battle was a support effort to Allenby's Third Army Arras Offensive.

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