Captain Professor: A Life in War and Peace

by Michael Eliot Howard

Not since A.L. Rowse published his memoir On Historians has such a witty and perceptive memoir been published by a celebrated historian.

Captain Professor constitutes the memoir of one of the most distinguised British historians of the post war years, Professor Sir Michael Howard. Award the Military Cross in the Second World War, Howard recounts how between battles he befriended the young film director Franco Zefirelli, and fought the Germans in Italy with (the future Bishop) Simon Phipps and the (future) ballet critic Richard Buckle. In Oxford after the war, he gives delicious insights into academic life, including perceptive portraits of Hugh Trevor-Roper, Keith Thomas and A.L. Rowse.

Howard had a major influence on the strategic and defence policy of the country and made his name as a military historian. His influence on the study of history in schools and universities has been considerable, and he has been substantially responsible for the burgeoning of First World War studies, its history and its literature. He claims, however, that he eventually pipped many more obvious candidates to the post to become the royally-appointed Regius Professor of History because he was the only candidate that the Queen of England had heard of.

Genres: History, War, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography

232 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

Sir Michael Eliot Howard was an English military historian, formerly Chichele Professor of the History of War, Honorary Fellow of All Souls College, Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford, Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History at Yale University, and founder of the Department of War Studies, King's College London.

In 1958, he co-founded the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

In 2013, Howard was described in the Financial Times as "Britain's greatest living historian". The Guardian described him as "Britain's foremost expert on conflict".

Reviews

[Keith Raffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure what impelled me to pick this up, but I was once a history student and Michael Howard was one of the examiners for my master's thesis. I remember being in awe of him and now that I have read his short memoir, I am congratulating myself on my perceptiveness. Sir Michael was born just before my father, fought in World War II, and pioneered the modern study of war and strategic studies in the UK and US. The book brought back memories, mostly enjoyable, and provided trenchant commentary on the last 60 years of world affairs.

[Bob Mobley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Howard’s autobiography is an absolute jewel of a book. It is both interesting and captivating in his descriptions of his youth in London, and the colorful family in which he grew up, especially his mother. His vignettes of school and his descriptions of his classmates and activities are highly entertaining. This is a wonderful look into British society on the Eve of the cataclysmic changes that WW2 brought across all of European history and customs. As a story, his chapter on pre-war London, by itself is enticing, and a compelling reason to read the book.

In Chapter 2, “War Time,” Michael Howard takes us on a very personal, insightful and touching journey of his life as an Officer in the Coldstream Guards, and his experiences of combat and leadership fighting in the Italian campaign, where the British and Americans had to slog their way up the Italian peninsula against ferocious German defenses and a very hostile and mountainous terrain.

His passion and creative insights into the complexities of military history, without a doubt, came into being as an office in the Coldstream Guards, serving in front line combat.

After the war, not sure exactly what he wanted to do in his career, he writes in an open manner about the serendiptousness of choices and how he happened to evolve into becoming a teacher, and in turn, a superb historian.

For a number of years, Michael Howard led the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the world famous Departmentof War studies at King’s College, London. He describes interesting faces of his academic career, and individuals with whom he developed long-lasting lifetime friendships. In addition to holding the Regis Chair of Modern History at Oxford, Professor Howard became a leading military historian whose wisdom and insights were sought by universities and institutes around the world. He finished his outstanding career as a Professor of Military history at Yale University, where he was the Robert A. Lowatt Professor of Military and Naval History. He has authored a number of outstanding military histories, as well as studies on what constitutes winning, in terms of creating a peaceful environment.

This well-written, entertaining, and concise autobiography, will hold your attention and is highly enjoyable. In his concluding chapter, “Fin De Siecle” he brings together a number of insightful observations and historical, pragmatic questions. Many of the observations and ideas that Professor Howard talks about are still relevant today, and the forces of change and the complexities brought about by explosive technology, have only made the challenges more difficult in terms of communities, relationships, and trying to maintain a world on a peaceful, even balance. I highly urge you to get a copy of Michael Howard’s superb autobiography, and enjoy taking his journey with him as he opens up your eyes and mind to a cornucopia of ideas and challenges.

[Colin Freebury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, if for no other reason than the remarkably lucid writing. The book falls into two distinct parts: the first half recounts the author’s childhood and adolescence, his service as an officer with the Coldstream Guards during the Second World War, and his efforts to find his métier in the years that followed. The second half describes how he became an eminent professor of military history and offers his impressions of the wide range of prominent political and academic figures he encountered over his long and successful career.

Two themes run throughout the book: the transformation of Britain’s global status and class system over the course of his lifetime, and the author’s gradual, ultimately successful process of coming to terms with his homosexuality.

[John DeRosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s like a walk with all the influential thinkers in the field of Strategic Studies...