Dr Rob Johnson’s book “Lawrence of Arabia on War: The Campaign in the Desert 1916- 1918” will be published on 30 April 2020 with Osprey.

Lawrence of Arabia on War is a critical appraisal of T. E. Lawrence’s ideas on war, examining his guerrilla campaign and his theories on strategy, juxtaposed against the operations conducted by the Ottoman Empire and those of the Allied army in Palestine. Dr Rob Johnson set out the strategic and political context of Lawrence’s thinking, contrasting this with his understanding of the nature of war, and how he conceived of strategic success beyond the tactical activities of insurgents.

This work traces the evolution of Lawrence’s ideas about guerrilla warfare, from theoretical beginnings at university to hard-won experience on the battlefield. It concludes with a survey of how Lawrence has been used by his successors, not least by military personnel in countering insurgency, and by those seeking to celebrate his achievements as heroic champion of liberation.