Understanding Modern Combat with Battle Research Group

Ben Connable, a former US Marine and leader of the Battle Research Group, discusses the realities of ground combat and their implications for future warfare. We explore the importance of studying battles like Ukraine’s Irpin River clash to understand tactics, human will, and war’s evolving nature, drawing on his team’s fieldwork in Iraq and Ukraine to fill gaps in modern military history often lost to digital records or overshadowed by high-tech solutions.We discuss how shrinking militaries and reliance on technology impact risk and decision-making, emphasising the need to preserve primary sources to prepare for future conflicts.Key moments1:11 - The Battle Research Group7:37 - Tactical Level Studies14:12 - Adaptability in Military Culture16:23 - Evolving Military Forces19:12 - The Role of Leadership20:57 - Understanding Civilian Perspectives32:54 - Civilian Impact in Warfare34:46 - Fighting in Industrialized Cities39:42 - Knowledge Gaps in Military History40:26 - The Character of War48:16 - The Need for Accurate RecordkeepingFacing Coming Storms is brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century, and produced by Urban Podcasts.