Coming this August. #Gurkhas #BravestoftheBrave #VJDay #WW2

We remember all those who fought in the battle of Kohima in 1944 and today on the 78th anniversary of VJ Day, we remember the end of the Second World War in the Far East in August 1945 #VJDay #VJDay78 #78thAnniversary #Kohima #Burma #FarEast #SecondWorldWar #WW2 #WWII

Britain needs to the lead the formation of several ad hoc alliances now. 1⃣ A European coalition to guarantee 🇺🇦 security 2⃣ Evolve this into defensive alliance to fill any 🇺🇸 shaped gap 3⃣ An Arctic coalition to deter 🇷🇺 and 🇺🇸 ambitions 4⃣ AUKUS to become a 🇯🇵🇦🇺alliance?

Those with skin in the game DO make the best decisions about places they care about. So why are Labour ignoring teachers' objections to their schools plan? And ignoring farmers' objections to the family farm tax? And taking planning powers from local authorities and residents?

In the 1980s, historians of 19th c India were primarily interested in the British Empire. But they were also interested in economic history. The question was: Could economic change derive mainly from the intentions and capacities of the British Empire and the imperial state?

Indeed

Thanks to Aris Roussinos for engaging so extensively with my book in this UnHerd piece. Agree strongly w/ his final point on the vital connection between domestic stability and external policy. This is important for the current debate on a potential 🇬🇧🇫🇷 peacekeeping force in 🇺🇦

It’s difficult to believe that this was a real thing!

Nice to see a review of my book in the latest issue of the RUSI Journal: "historically accurate and original, filled with lucid writing that appeals even to the general reader, the book...is a heavyweight contribution to the field of strategic studies" tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

Go Rory!

I clearly need to up my game regarding indexes!

On the 80th anniversary of #VEDay, let's remember the 2.5 m Indian soldiers who volunteered to fight. It was the biggest volunteer army in history. They fought on different fronts Africa, Europe and the Far East. #ElAlamein, #MonteCassino #Kohima in some of the toughest battles

Very very sad news. A fine tribute to Ghee Bowman by Gautam Hazarika.

Very much enjoyed sharing some of my research so far into the wartime service records of the British and Commonwealth armies at the Second World War Research Group #SWW80YearsOn Conference this week. Many thanks to the organisers for an excellent two days.

A big thank you to all those on the organising committee of the Second World War Research Group group conference in London last week, particularly Megan Hamilton Megan Hamilton ! It was amazing to see the range and quality of papers this year!!

Finally got my hands on the copy of "13 Days in China", a diary of an Indian soldier, Gadhadhar Singh, of Hindu Rajput caste, sent to China by Britain as a mercenary. The diary begins with his account of General Edward Leach giving a briefing to Rajputs being sent to China.

The Indian Army was instrumental in turning disaster into triumph in Burma 1942-45 #WW2. #VJDay80 Impenetrable jungle, monsoons, poor infrastructure, malaria, crocodiles - Burma was 1 of the most punishing and hard-fought campaigns of WW2. More VCs were awarded for #Burma than

VJ Day – 80 years since victory in the Far East, we remember all who served and sacrificed. We honour the tens of thousands of Sikh soldiers whose courage in Burma and beyond was vital to peace. Their story is our shared freedom🌺 #VJDay80 #LestWeForget #sikh #wewillrememberthem

On this day, the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Japan, we should remember the 67,000 Indian troops of the British Indian Army who were captured by the Japanese in WW2. If the war had not ended when it did, many more would have died in captivity. #VJDay #WW2