Month: May 2022

“Putin is clearly trying to ignite a larger conflict” – Martin Dugard

On By Marc NadeauIn Charles de Gaulle, George S. Patton, History, Joe Biden, Martin Dugard, Military, Penguin Random House Canada, Rommel, Russia, Ukraine, Winston Churchill, World War IILeave a comment
Author Martin Dugard (source: MartinDugard.com)

After the publication of my review of his excellent book Taking Paris: The Epic Battle for the City of Lights (Caliber), Martin Dugard kindly accepted to answer some questions for this blog. I feel privileged for the interview with an excellent and engaging author, who is also the coauthor of Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Series.

Here is the content of our exchange.

____________

Mr. Dugard, where did the idea of writing Taking Paris originate from?

The book actually started as Taking Rome but as the research expanded it became obvious that the story of Rome worked more nicely as a small section in the larger context of the 1940 fall of Paris and 1944 liberation.

Continue reading ““Putin is clearly trying to ignite a larger conflict” – Martin Dugard” →

Vladimir Poutine et la nouvelle armée russe

On By Marc NadeauIn Affaires militaires, Guerre, Histoire, Histoire militaire, Isabelle Facon, Russie, Ukraine, Vladimir PoutineLeave a comment

Lundi prochain, les troupes russes défileront au pas d’oie sur la Place rouge. Elles sont déjà en répétition sur la rue Tverskaya. Les forces militaires profiteront également de l’occasion pour faire parader l’attirail qui forme l’arsenal de Moscou. Le Jour de la Victoire est toujours un moment fort dans la psyché russe, en raison de la place dominante occupée par la guerre dans l’histoire du pays.

Depuis l’invasion de l’Ukraine le 24 février dernier, l’armée russe est omniprésente dans l’actualité internationale et sa performance outre-frontière soulève plusieurs questions et observations.

poursuivre la lecture

Moscow has no discernible exit strategy in Ukraine

On By Marc NadeauIn Bettina Renz, Military, Polity Books, Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir PutinLeave a comment
Professor Bettina Renz (source: YouTube)

In the aftermath of my review of her timely and absorbing book Russia’s Miltiary Revival (Polity), author and University of Nottingham Professor of International Security Bettina Renz granted me an interview. I am extremely grateful for her insights, one week from Victory Day parade in Moscow.

Below is the content of our exchange.

_________

The situation is now a war of attrition with no immediate end in sight.

Professor Renz, considering the last 9 weeks, what is your assessment of the performance of the Russian army in Ukraine? Are you surprised by the way the situation evolved?

Knowing what we know now, the poor performance of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine is no surprise. On the one hand, the Russian military is numerically and technologically superior to their Ukrainian counterpart. On the other hand, the history of warfare has demonstrated repeatedly that superiority in numbers and kit cannot make up for poor strategy.

Continue reading “Moscow has no discernible exit strategy in Ukraine” →