Defence Academy Podcasts

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Life as a 19th Century Sailor - Flash Video

Dr Virginia Preston presents the findings from her recent research into life in the Royal Navy and the merchant navy during the 19th Century. She concentrates on the ordinary sailor rather than the officers. Duration 45 minutes.

Life as a 19th Century Sailor - MP3 Audio

Dr Virginia Preston presents the findings from her recent research into life in the Royal Navy and the merchant navy during the 19th Century. She concentrates on the ordinary sailor rather than the officers. Duration 45 minutes.

Oil and the Soul of Africa: a 21st Century Scramble? - MP3 Audio

Professor Femi Oyebody discusses the affects that oil have had on Africa, and particularly Nigeria. He first gives the historical background, starting with the slave trade, and the way Africa was split into artificial regions by external powerful countries. Duration 37 minutes.

The Fenzian Treatment System

Dr James Colthurst outlines the Fenzian Treatment system, a remarkable non-invasive medical tool for wound healing, skeletal muscle problems and asthma sufferers. He gives various statistics and includes several medical case studies, and focuses on the benefits and suitability for the MOD. Duration 26 minutes.

The Changing Role of the Local Population in Irregular Warfare - MP3 Audio

Dr. Thomas Rid looked at the difference in behaviour between insurgents and extreme terrorists, and their differing goals and aspirations. He considers the role played by the local civilian population as to how irregular warfare is waged and how it affects the way we should deal with the problem. Duration 24 minutes.

Logistics in the American Civil War - Flash Video

Professor David Kirkpatrick looks at the American Civil War from a logistics point of view. He shows the advantage the North had both in manpower and steel production. He considers the problems associated with transporting troops and supplies over long distances, often over poor terrain, using different modes of transport with various interfaces. He particularly focuses on the inadequacies of the railroad in the South. Duration 46 minutes.

Logistics in the American Civil War - MP3 Audio

Professor David Kirkpatrick looks at the American Civil War from a logistics point of view. He shows the advantage the North had both in manpower and steel production. He considers the problems associated with transporting troops and supplies over long distances, often over poor terrain, using different modes of transport with various interfaces. He particularly focuses on the inadequacies of the railroad in the South. Duration 46 minutes.

Sex and War: A Darwinian Perspective - MP3 Audio

Dr Malcolm Potts, University of California, Berkeley, presents his hypotheses that: •Team aggression and same species killing are evolved behaviors •Same species killing benefited males but not females •Homo sapiens is an usually violent species •The predisposition for in-troop and out-troop aggression is age related •Everything that enhances the autonomy of women and enables them to choose if and when to have a child will help counter violence. Duration 31 minutes.

The UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy - Flash Video

Professor David Kirkpatrick discusses the evolution of MoD policy, the features of the current global defence market, and alternative strategies for defence acquisition. He considers promoting a MoD-Industry rapprochement and through-life capability management. Duration 44 minutes.

The UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy - MP3 Audio

Professor David Kirkpatrick discusses the evolution of MoD policy, the features of the current global defence market, and alternative strategies for defence acquisition. He considers promoting a MoD-Industry rapprochement and through-life capability management. Duration 44 minutes.

Trends in the Costs of Weapon Systems, and the Consequences - MP3 Audio

Professor David Kirkpatrick looks at the demand for effective weapon systems, and the observed time trend in unit production costs. He considers the consequences of these trends and what options are available to nations of various sizes. Duration 43 minutes.

Trends in the Costs of Weapon Systems, and the Consequences - Flash Video

Professor David Kirkpatrick looks at the demand for effective weapon systems, and the observed time trend in unit production costs. He considers the consequences of these trends and what options are available to nations of various sizes. Duration 43 minutes.

Between Superordinate and Subordinate: Two Types of Responsibility - MP3 Audio

Professor Asa Kasher, Laura Schwarz-Kipp Professor Emeritus of Professional Ethics and Philosophy of Practice, Tel-Aviv University and author of the code of ethics for the IDF A 30 minute presentation sponsored by ICAP as part of the Second Defence Ethics Conference, held in the Nelson lecture theatre, at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham on the 11th December 2008. Duration 30 minutes.

Integrity and Selective Conscientious Objection - MP3 Audio

Dr Paul Robinson, Associate Professor in Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa. "Integrity and Selective Conscientious Objection" A 24 minute presentation sponsored by ICAP as part of the Second Defence Ethics Conference held in the Nelson lecture theatre, at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham on the 11th December 2008. Duration 24 minutes.

Gunning for Empire on Air, Land, and Sea: the military and popular culture - MP3 Audio

Dr. Ashley Jackson discusses how various writers, comic books, painters, music and the media in general, created a glamorous image of the British armed forces, and how tradition, pomp and ceremony, helped to maintain this popular image. Duration 55 minutes .

Signals Intelligence Support to the Combined Bombing Offensive 1943-45 – Flash Video

John Stubbington discussed the developments in Bomber Command from the early stages in 1939, the Bomber Command Group, the RAF Y-Service, the BMP reports and the Kingsdown ‘Hook-up’, and how these impacted on operations and target selection. He also covered some of the politics involved. Duration 46 minutes.

Operational Research v Military Judgement: the problem of technical change in the British Infantry, 1943-53 - MP3 Audio

Dr Matthew Ford discusses how technical change made various weapons availble to the British infnatry, and how the final choice was affected by the conflict between military judgement and operational research. The decision was further complicated by the conflicting definitions of the battlespace. Duration 38 minutes.

Rethinking the Battle of Loos, 1915 - MP3 Audio

Dr Nick Lloyd presents extracts from his research into the Battle of Loos, 1915. He gives an alternative interpretation of the available evidence which contradicts the traditionally held views. He has recently published his findings in a book on the subject “LOOS 1915”. Duration 40 minutes.

Military Justice and the Rules of Engagement in an Era of Irregular Conflict - MP3 Audio

Dr Jerold E Brown discusses three primary issues: the rules of engagement in an uncertain and changing battlefield environment ; the role of the media and public perception in defining acceptable and legal behaviour on the part of democratic armies; the impact of the tension between these two conflicting ideas and the ability of modern armies to accomplish their missions in modern warfare. Duration 30 minutes.

Energy Security and Climate Change - MP3 Audio

Prof Phil Hutchinson presents an overview of current received wisdom on Climate Change, and especially Global Warming, from a sceptical viewpoint. It will be shown that global temperatures have not risen since 1998. In contrast it will be argued that the threat to energy security of most industrialized nations, and particularly to the UK, from disruption to oil and gas supplies is much more pressing and worthy of response. UK energy policy will be characterized as Faith, Hope and Charity and unlikely to be an adequate response to near term threats. Duration 70 minutes.