Professor Matthias Strohn

Professor Matthias Strohn

Head of Historical Analysis CHACR
Professor Matthias Strohn

Professor Matthias Strohn, M.St. (Oxon), DPhil (Oxon), FRHistS is the Head of the Historical Analysis Programme at the CHACR. He is also a Visiting Professor in Military Studies at the Humanities Research Institute at the University of Buckingham.

Matthias was educated at the universities of Münster (Germany) and Oxford. He holds a Master’s degree and a Doctorate from Oxford, and he was also awarded a level 7 degree in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute. Matthias is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Prior to joining the CHACR, he worked in the War Studies Department at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and he also held a lectureship in Modern History at Oxford.

Matthias is an expert in the history of war in the 20th century, with special interest in the World Wars, the inter-war period, command and leadership, the development of doctrine, and the application of military history in today’s military context. He has written and edited more than 20 books and numerous articles, and his works were chosen as the core readings for Operation Reflect, the British Army’s commemoration of the First World War. Matthias is a frequent commentator on military history and current military affairs, and he has appeared on a wide range of media, ranging from TV documentaries and news channels to Europe’s largest tabloid newspaper. He is also a keen battlefield studies guide, and he has led military and civilian groups all over Europe, from Madrid to Stalingrad.

Matthias holds a commission in the German Army, and, with the rank of Colonel, serves as the head of the German military delegation in the UK. Prior to this, he served as a member of the Defence Attaché Corps, and as an instructor at the German Staff College in Hamburg where he also attended the German Armed Forces Staff Course (R). In 2019, he attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course (R) at the British Defence Academy as the second German Army officer ever selected. Matthias has got operational experience; he deployed to Iraq (with the British Army) and Afghanistan (with both the British Army and the German Bundeswehr). In 2022, Matthias was awarded the highest (non-combat) decoration of the German Armed Forces, the Golden Cross of Honour, in recognition of his services to the German Army and to Anglo-German defence relations.

Day 1 - Current Context and Threat Picture - 20 JAN

16:30 WAR WITHOUT OVERSIGHT: WHY WE NEED HUMANS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

With the increasing use of AI and autonomous systems in land operations, leaders are exploring their impact on current and future strategy. In this book, Dr Paddy Walker examines the role of autonomous weapons in combat, and where humans will fit in as these technologies advance. The initial overview of the book will be followed by a detailed discussion of the topic with time for audience Q&A and engagement.

Audience members will leave with a free copy, with dedicated time for networking and more informal discussions at the end of the session.


Day 2 - Contemporary Operating Environment - 21 JAN

11:15 SHOW ME DON'T TELL ME: APPLYING AI TO DEFENCE

Dr Darrell Jaya-Ratnam’s latest book explores the rise of AI in defence through the exploration of current use cases and future possible applications to operations. Discussions will cover the balance between human and AI input in decision making, as well as examining the required steps to make AI fully operational for forces. Audience members will leave with a free copy, with dedicated time for networking and more informal discussions at the end of the session.

Day 3 - Major Programmes - 22 JAN

14:00 CONFLICT REALISM: UNDERSTANDING THE CASUAL LOGIC OF MODERN WAR AND WARFARE

Join Amos Fox as he explores the nature of contemporary armed conflict and the trends that will shape modern warfare. His book analyses 5 key patterns which will be examined by discussants to assess their impact on global security, and the challenges that they pose for armed forces. Audience members will leave with a free copy, with dedicated time for networking and more informal discussions at the end of the session.

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Matthias.

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