ABSTRACT
This chapter is based on an inaugural professorial lecture given at the Swedish Defence University in 2022. The chapter looks at the role of the discipline of History in PME. It introduces the topic with a glimpse at some of the best works on the subject. The chapter then goes on to ask what Military History actually is, and at what level in the career of the military practitioner it should be introduced. As it is written by a civilian with only limited experience of the military, the question is asked in a number of ways. Using pre-existing work by military officers, this section is supplemented by a series of interviews conducted between 2021 and 2025 with military professionals of all ranks, from enlisted men to higher officers. While not claiming any absolute statistical relevance, nevertheless, the views of service personnel from the United Kingdom, the Nordic Countries, France, South Africa, and Australia give insights into the importance of Military History in their own development as military professionals. While the views often confirm conclusions arrived at by generations of military practitioners, the fact that many have been delivered following moments of renewed crisis for global security gives confirming testimony to the importance of teaching military history in different ways and appropriate contexts for all ranks of the armed forces.
