Michael Howard (historian)
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Eliot Howard, OM
, CH
, CBE
, MC
, FBA
(born 29 November 1922) is a British military historian
, formerly Chichele Professor of the History of War
and Regius Professor of Modern History
at Oxford University, and Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale University
.
Howard was educated at Wellington College
and Christ Church, Oxford
(with service in World War II in between).
During the Second World War
, Howard was commissioned in the Coldstream Guards
and fought in the Italian Campaign
. He was twice wounded and won a Military Cross
at Salerno.
After Oxford, Howard began his teaching career at King's College London
, where he created the department of war studies. From his position at King's he was one of the Britons most influential in developing strategic studies as a discipline that brought together government, military, and academia to think about defence and national security more broadly and deeply than had been done before. He was one of the founders of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. From his family, education, and service in the Guards he had extensive connections at the higher levels of British society, and he worked them astutely to further his intellectual goals. He had close connections in the Labour Party but was also consulted as an advisor by Margaret Thatcher
.
Howard is best known for expanding military history beyond the traditional campaigns and battles accounts to include wider discussions about the sociological significance of war. In his account of the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71, Howard looked at how the Prussian and French armies reflected the social structure of the two nations. He has also been a leading interpreter of the writings of the German military thinker Carl von Clausewitz
, including preparing the leading translation of On War
with the American historian Peter Paret
. In addition, in both his inaugural and concluding lectures as Regius Professor, and in his popular and influential War in European History, Howard has stressed the difference between traditional military history, which seeks to identify easily applicable lessons for the present from the history of past wars and military campaigns, and his own approach, which stresses the uniqueness of the historical past and the impossibility of deriving such lessons to guide modern strategic and tactical choices.
In 1985 he delivered the Huizinga Lecture
in the Dutch city of Leiden, under the title: 1945: End of an Era
Howard helped found the Department of War Studies and the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives at King's College London
. He is currently president emeritus of the International Institute for Strategic Studies
, which he also helped to establish, and a fellow of the British Academy
. Sir Michael was knighted
in 1986 and was appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour
in 2002 and to the Order of Merit
in 2005.
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
, CH
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, FBA
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
(born 29 November 1922) is a British military historian
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
, formerly Chichele Professor of the History of War
Chichele Professor of the History of War
One of the statutory Chichele Professorships established at All Souls College, Oxford, this chair was originally established in 1909 as the Chichele Professorship of Military History...
and Regius Professor of Modern History
Regius Professor of Modern History (Oxford)
The Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford is an old-established professorial position. The first appointment was made in 1724...
at Oxford University, and Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
Howard was educated at Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
(with service in World War II in between).
During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Howard was commissioned in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
and fought in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
. He was twice wounded and won a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
at Salerno.
After Oxford, Howard began his teaching career at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, where he created the department of war studies. From his position at King's he was one of the Britons most influential in developing strategic studies as a discipline that brought together government, military, and academia to think about defence and national security more broadly and deeply than had been done before. He was one of the founders of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. From his family, education, and service in the Guards he had extensive connections at the higher levels of British society, and he worked them astutely to further his intellectual goals. He had close connections in the Labour Party but was also consulted as an advisor by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
.
Howard is best known for expanding military history beyond the traditional campaigns and battles accounts to include wider discussions about the sociological significance of war. In his account of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870-71, Howard looked at how the Prussian and French armies reflected the social structure of the two nations. He has also been a leading interpreter of the writings of the German military thinker Carl von Clausewitz
Carl von Clausewitz
Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz was a Prussian soldier and German military theorist who stressed the moral and political aspects of war...
, including preparing the leading translation of On War
On War
Vom Kriege is a book on war and military strategy by Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz , written mostly after the Napoleonic wars, between 1816 and 1830, and published posthumously by his wife in 1832. It has been translated into English several times as On War...
with the American historian Peter Paret
Peter Paret
Peter Paret is American military, cultural & art historian with a particular interest in German history. Paret was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Dr. Hans Paret and Suzanne Aimée Cassirer, who divorced in 1932...
. In addition, in both his inaugural and concluding lectures as Regius Professor, and in his popular and influential War in European History, Howard has stressed the difference between traditional military history, which seeks to identify easily applicable lessons for the present from the history of past wars and military campaigns, and his own approach, which stresses the uniqueness of the historical past and the impossibility of deriving such lessons to guide modern strategic and tactical choices.
In 1985 he delivered the Huizinga Lecture
Huizinga Lecture
The Huizinga Lecture is a prestigious annual lecture in the Netherlands about a subject in the domains of cultural history or philosophy. The lecture is in honour of Johan Huizinga, a distinguished Dutch historian who worked in the first half of the 20th century...
in the Dutch city of Leiden, under the title: 1945: End of an Era
Howard helped found the Department of War Studies and the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. He is currently president emeritus of the International Institute for Strategic Studies
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
, which he also helped to establish, and a fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
. Sir Michael was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1986 and was appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
in 2002 and to the Order of Merit
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
in 2005.
Work
- The Coldstream Guards, co-written with John SparrowJohn Hanbury Angus SparrowJohn Sparrow was an English academic, barrister, book-collector and Warden of All Souls College, Oxford from 1952-77.-Early life and education:...
, 1920-1946, 1951. - Disengagement in Europe, 1958.
- The Franco-Prussian War: The German Invasion of France, 1870-1871, 1961.
- Lord Haldane and the Territorial Army, 1967.
- The Mediterranean Strategy in the Second World War, 1967.
- Grand Strategy, August 1942-September 1943, Volume IV, Grand Strategy series, History of the Second World WarHistory of the Second World WarThe History of the Second World War is the official history of Britain's contribution to the Second World War and was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office . This immense project was sub-divided into a number of areas to ease publication. Military operations are covered in the United Kingdom...
(1970) - Studies in War and Peace, 1970.
- The Continental Commitment: The Dilemma of British Defence Policy in the Era of Two World Wars, 1972.
- War in European History, 1976 [latest revised edition, 2009].
- Carl von ClausewitzCarl von ClausewitzCarl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz was a Prussian soldier and German military theorist who stressed the moral and political aspects of war...
, On War, 1977, edited and translated by M. E. Howard and Peter ParetPeter ParetPeter Paret is American military, cultural & art historian with a particular interest in German history. Paret was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Dr. Hans Paret and Suzanne Aimée Cassirer, who divorced in 1932...
. - Soldiers and Governments: Nine Studies in Civil Military Relations, 1978.
- War and the Liberal Conscience, 1978 [new edition, 2008].
- Restraints on War: Studies in the Limitation of Armed Conflict, 1979 edited by M. E. Howard.
- Clausewitz, 1983 [originally a volume in the Oxford University Press "Past Masters" series, reissued in 2000 as Clausewitz: A Very Short Introduction].
- The Causes of War Harvard University Press; 2 edition (January 1, 1984)
- Strategic Deception in World War II, 1990, (Volume 5 of British Intelligence in the Second World War; series edited by F. H. HinsleyHarry HinsleySir Francis Harry Hinsley OBE was an English historian and cryptanalyst. He worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War and wrote widely on the history of international relations and British Intelligence during the Second World War...
; Cambridge University Press). ISBN 0-52140-145-3 - The Lessons of History, 1989.
- The Laws of War: Constraints on Warfare in the Western World, edited by M. E Howard, George J. Andrepoulous and Mark R. Schulman.
- The Invention of Peace, 2000.
- The First World War, 2003 [reissued as The First World War: A Very Short Introduction, 2007].
- Captain Professor: A Life in War and Peace (autobiography), 2006
- Liberation or Catastrophe?: Reflections on the History of the 20th Century, 2007