The Frocks and the Brass Hats | Gordon Corrigan

Over the years, we have filmed quite a lot of speakers at the branch. These have been available to view on the WFA's YouTube channel, and can also be found as 'articles' on the WFA website. However these videos have not been separately grouped for those visiting the Yorkshire branch 'landing page' on the website.

By starting a process of loading these onto the branch page, this makes a number of talks that stretch back to about 2019 'visible'. The third of these is 'The Frocks and the Brass Hats given by Gordon Corrigan in December 2019

Friction between politicians and military commanders is probably as old as warfare itself. There has always been and always will be a conflict between defence and foreign policy, between them designed to keep the nation safe and great, and social spending, designed to keep the population contented and prosperous. While no one would deny that in a democracy it is for the politicians to decide with whom the nation should go to war, the generals would then very much like to be allowed to get on with what they are trained and paid to do without interference.

This talk by Gordon Corrigan examines how political and military relations have developed over the years, with particular emphasis on the First World War, when on occasions they reached a deplorable point which threatened the very survival of the BEF.