nach dem ersten weltkrieg zogen die briten bilanz. damit so etwas nicht wieder passieren kann, plädierte 1920 in einem artikel der times deren kriegskorrespondent für ein starkes, kompaktes berufsheer von 500.000 mann. dazu eine “citizen army”, die im hintergrund arbeitet.

• The old pre-war pretence that this army is for home defence only should be dropped. The only invation that we need fear, with a strong modern Navy, is from the air, and it is not the business of the army to protect us against that.

das berufsheer sollte nicht primär auf die verteidigung aus sein, sondern proaktiv nach außen gehen können, unter anderem um friedensmissionen der “League of Nations” wahrzunehmen. das trauma eines deutschen überfalls europäischer nachbarstaaten saß tief:

• We cannot guarantee that no one will ever again try to do what Germany attempted in the late war, but we can guarantee that the next war will find us better prepared, and therefore that it will be shorter and less costly.

was die kosten angeht, rät der korrespondent dringend zu einer zusammenarbeit zwischen zivilen und militärischen industrien:

• In certain industries it is desirable that research for military and commercial purposes should go together. That is notorioulsy so, for example, in the dye-making industry, on which the whole future development of chemical war depends. Again, the whole future of transport in war might be changed by mechanical adaptations equally useful for civil purposes and for war, and the two should act and react instantly upon each other, the requirements of war stimulating commercial enterprise and this in its turn saving labour in war and thus increasing the value of the individual soldier. Lastly, there should be a close relation between military and civil aviation.

zitiert aus der times vom 21. januar 1920, s. 7: The Future of The Army. Science as Substitute for Numbers. A New Territorial Force.