Alan Stephens

Dr Alan Stephens is a military historian and defence analyst whose work has been translated into more than twenty languages. He is a former RAAF pilot.

Alan's recent articles

AUKUS confirms that we are mendicant clients of the US

AUKUS confirms that we are mendicant clients of the US

A recalcitrant US government could turn-off Australia’s ability to defend itself within days.

Monument of shame

Monument of shame

Anzac Parade in Canberra is Australias major ceremonial avenue, a grand boulevard commemorating (heroic) service and sacrifice. Yet at least one of its monuments represents war crimes, racism, torture and murder.

'The standard you walk past'

'The standard you walk past'

The Australian Army has failed its own leadership test. Where does the buck stop?

Deputy sheriffs, deluded diggers and 'the dirty work of empire'.

Deputy sheriffs, deluded diggers and 'the dirty work of empire'.

Few peoples define themselves through their military history more stridently than Australians. The truth, though, is that our military history primarily is one of imperial subservience, self-delusion and denial.

Another bright shining lie: the ADF and Afghanistan

Another bright shining lie: the ADF and Afghanistan

It was the celebrated American war correspondent Neil Sheehan who used the term a bright shining lie to characterise the profoundly corrupt nature moral, political, social, intellectual, strategic, military, religious of the US's (and, by association, Australia's) disastrous invasion of Vietnam.

The unsustainable theory of 'counter- insurgency warfare' in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Australias disastrous military campaign in Afghanistan has been based on the so-called strategy of counter-insurgency warfare COIN in the military vernacular. Yet for decades, COIN demonstrably has been an intellectually unsustainable theory.

'Here was their spirit' - the corruption of the Australian War Memorial

Rather than embodying Charles Beans vision of a solemn temple of reflection honouring service and sacrifice - Here is their spirit- over time, the Australian War Memorial has morphed into a theme park of war souvenirs, half-truths and omissions.

<