Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history and philosophy of warfare, from the Bronze Age to the modern era
'A feat of public service broadcasting' The Telegraph
One of BBC Radio's flagship programmes, In Our Time is both highly acclaimed and immensely popular. First broadcast in 1998, it has built an audience of over 2 million listeners, who tune in each week to be enlightened and entertained by Melvyn Bragg and his expert panel as they tackle subjects ranging from macromolecules to the Muses.
This special themed collection comprises the highlights of military history: 25 episodes exploring the most important conflicts of the past 3000 years, plus additional programmes discussing the history and future of war and key military themes. Here are discourses on the philosophy of warfare and Sun Tzu's hugely influential treatise The Art of War; analyses of slavery and empire and the concept of a 'just war'; as well as examinations of pivotal wars and battles including the Trojan War, the Third Crusade, the Wars of the Roses, the Battle of Trafalgar, the War of 1812 and the Spanish Civil War.
Engaging, illuminating and accessible, these engrossing discussions will appeal to regular In Our Time listeners and newcomers alike. Whether you're a student of military history or simply a fan of intelligent radio, this superbly curated compendium has you covered.
Production credits
Presented by Melvyn Bragg
Produced by Simon Tillotson, Thomas Morris, Victoria Brignell and Olivia Seligman
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:
Part I: The Philosophy of Warfare
The Art of War 12 June 2003
With Sir Michael Howard, Angie Hobbs and Jeremy Black
Part II: The Early Period
Sun Tzu and The Art of War 1 March 2018
With Hilde De Weerdt, Tim Barrett and Imre Galambos
The Trojan War 31 May 2012
With Edith Hall, Ellen Adams and Susan Sherratt
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest 13 February 2020
With Peter Heather, Ellen O'Gorman and Matthew Nicholls
The Arab Conquests 26 June 2008
With Hugh Kennedy, Amira Bennison and Robert Hoyland
The Battle of Tours 16 January 2014
With Hugh Kennedy, Rosamond McKitterick and Matthew Innes
The Battle of Talas 9 October 2014
With Hilde de Weerdt, Michael Hockelmann and Hugh Kennedy
Alfred and the Battle of Edington 7 April 2005
With Richard Gameson, Sarah Foot and John Hines
The Battle of Stamford Bridge 2 June 2011
With John Hines, Elizabeth Rowe and Stephen Baxter
Part III: The Medieval Period
Just War 3 June 1999
With Professor John Keane and Dr Niall Ferguson
Third Crusade 29 November 2001
With Jonathan Riley-Smith, Carole Hillenbrand and Tariq Ali
The Battle of Lincoln 1217 4 May 2017
With Louise Wilkinson, Stephen Church and Thomas Asbridge
The Battle of Bannockburn 3 February 2011
With Matthew Strickland, Fiona Watson and Michael Brown
The Siege of Orléans 24 May 2007
With Anne Curry, Malcolm Vale and Matthew Bennett
Constantinople Siege and Fall 28 December 2006
With Roger Crowley, Judith Herrin and Colin Imber
Part IV: The Early Modern Period
Slavery and Empire 17 October 2002
With Linda Colley, Catherine Hall and Felipe Fernandez
The Wars of the Roses 18 May 2000
With Dr Helen Castor, Professor Colin Richmond and Dr Steven Gunn
The Siege of Munster 5 November 2009
With Diarmaid MacCulloch, Lucy Wooding and Charlotte Methuen
The Siege of Malta, 1565 11 January 2018
With Helen Nicholson, Diarmaid MacCulloch and Kate Fleet
The Spanish Armada 7 October 2010
With Diane Purkiss, Mia Rodriguez-Salgado and Nicholas Rodger
The Thirty Years War 6 December 2018
With Peter Wilson, Ulinka Rublack and Toby Osborne
The Battle of Trafalgar 2 December 2021
James Davey, Marianne Czisnik and Kenneth Johnson
Part V: The 19th Century
1848: Year of Revolution 19 January 2012
Tim Blanning, Lucy Riall and Mike Rapport
The Opium Wars 12 April 2007
With Yangwen Zheng, Lars Laamann and Xun Zhou
The War of 1812 31 January 2013
With Kathleen Burk, Lawrence Goldman and Frank Cogliano
Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow 19 September 2019
With Janet Hartley, Michael Rowe and Michael Rapport
The Mexican-American War 28 June 2018
With Frank Cogliano, Jacqueline Fear-Segal and Thomas Rath
Part VI: The 20th Century
War in the 20th Century 15 October 1998
With Michael Ignatieff and Sir Michael Howard
The Russo-Japanese War 1 April 2021
With Simon Dixon, Naoko Shimazu and Oleg Benesch
The Spanish Civil War 3 April 2003
With Paul Preston, Helen Graham and Dr Mary Vincent
The Sino-Japanese War 8 May 2014
With Rana Mitter, Barak Kushner and Tehyun Ma
New Wars 13 April 2000
With Sir Michael Howard, Dr Mary Kaldor and General Sir Michael Rose
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
- ISBN10 1529197929
- ISBN13 9781529197921
- Publish Date 13 October 2022
- Publish Status Forthcoming
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher BBC Audio, A Division Of Random House
- Imprint BBC Digital Audio
- Edition Unabridged edition
- Format Audiobook (WAV)
- Duration 24 hours and 15 minutes
- Language English