Speaker: Dr Edward Hampshire, Naval Historical Branch, Ministry of Defence

From the late 1960s, the British defence effort increasingly focussed on preparing for a land-air battle on the Central European front – countering an expected Soviet adversary in its chosen theatre. This ‘strategic myopia’ made it difficult for the Navy’s arguments to gain traction politically, until the Iran-Iraq war and the Falklands conflict demonstrated that only preparing for the expected can be strategic folly. This paper will set out why this situation developed, how the Navy responded and its longer-term impact on British defence.

About the speaker: Edward Hampshire is an historian at the Naval Historical Branch of the Ministry of Defence, and a member of the Naval Staff’s analytical ‘Red Team’. He was previously a lecturer at the Joint Services Command and Staff College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. His most recent book, The Royal Navy in the Cold War Years 1966-1990: Retreat and Revival, was published in July 2024.

This event is open to the public and free to attend both in-person and online (via Zoom). In-person spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot!

For those joining online, the Zoom link will be sent by email two days before the event.