From Clausewitz to World War III? Beatrice Heuser on Strategy and Contemporary War

In this episode we speak with historian of war and strategy Beatrice Heuser. Tracing the evolution of military thought from Clausewitz and his contemporaries to the present day, Heuser explores how ideas about doctrine, strategy and the relationship between politics and war continue to shape contemporary conflict. The discussion turns to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the blurring of peace and war in Russian strategic thought, the development of international humanitarian law, and the far-reaching consequences of conflict across the Middle East. Along the way, Heuser considers what historical strategic thought can still teach us – and where inherited concepts may obscure rather than illuminate the realities of modern warfare. The episode closes with an unsettling question: are today’s wars best understood as separate regional conflicts, or are we already living through a third world war?