Many individuals have helped me indirectly in discussing the themes of this book as it took shape, but for practical assistance or advice I should particularly like to thank: Catherine Boylan, Jeremy Crang, Michael Dockrill, Simon Doughty, Colin Hook, Halik Kochan- ski, Sir Michael Howard, Andrew Lambert, Penny McLeish and Gary Sheffield.
I first outlined my main arguments in the Saki Dockrill Memorial Lecture at King’s College, London in November 2011 and was much encouraged by the positive response, especially from Philip Bell and the late M. R. D. Foot.