Explore the British Army’s part in the making of the modern world

With a legacy stretching back centuries, the British Army is proud of its hard-won reputation as one of the most formidable fighting forces in the world.

On this course, you’ll see for yourself how the British Army evolved as an institution between 1815 and 1945. You’ll reflect on its social composition, place in society, and military proficiency, analysing a range of primary sources and incorporating your findings into historical debate.

Ultimately, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the British Army - its successes, failures and role in shaping the modern world.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1 – The British Army at Waterloo

The composition and organization of the army at the turn of the 19th century
The image of the Army in British society
Battlefield performance in a ‘limited war’ as part of an international coalition
The influence of the Duke of Wellington’s generalship

Week 2 – ‘The British Army and Empire’

Campaigning in Africa and India
The Indian Mutiny (1857)
The Anglo-Zulu War (1879)
The Second Boer War (1899-1902)

Week 3 – ‘The British Army and the First World War’

The expansion of the Army
Gallipoli, the Somme and the 100 days
The experience of the British soldier throughout the war
Commemorating the war

Week 4 – ‘The British Army and the Second World War’

The defeats of 1940 in France and 1942 in the Far East
Crucial engagements at El Alamein (1942), D-Day (1944) and Operation Market Garden (1944)
The impact of ‘total’ war and how this influenced the conduct of British military operations
The extent to which the British Army changed socially, culturally, and militarily between 1815 and 1945

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and learn at your own pace. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Explore how the British Army evolved as an institution between 1815 and 1945, reflecting on its social composition, place in society, and military proficiency
Debate the importance of command and leadership and how this developed alongside the changing nature of warfare
Compare the concepts of ‘limited’ and ‘total' war
Reflect upon the British Army’s changing role in its Empire, Europe and the world
Assess a range of primary source materials and incorporate their findings into historical debate

Who is the course for?

No prior experience or qualifications are needed for this course. It would suit anyone with an interest in the British military, or social history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It would also appeal to prospective students of history, or military history.

Who will you learn with?

Mario Draper

Mario is Lecturer in Modern British and European History at the University of Kent. His research and teaching focuses on the relationships between armies and societies in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Who developed the course?

The University of Kent

The University of Kent, the UK’s European university, is one of the country’s most dynamic universities. Established in 1965, it now has 19,850 students studying at its various campuses.

National Army Museum

We examine the Army’s role from the British Civil Wars to the modern day. Through our collections we preserve and share stories of ordinary people with extraordinary responsibilities. We explore the role of the Army and its relevance today.

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