Iain MacGregor

Why did some armies fight on when defeat seemed certain? How did leaders like Alexander the Great, Robert the Bruce and Horatio Nelson change the course of history? Join bestselling historian Iain MacGregor for a thrilling journey through 3,000 years of conflict, drawing on his new book Battle: The Moments That Transformed Warfare from Ancient Greece to Ukraine.

From the shield walls of ancient Greece to the drone warfare of modern Ukraine, this fascinating talk explores the five forces that have shaped victory and defeat throughout history: Morale, Leadership, Innovation, Subterfuge, Timing & Numbers. Travel from Marathon, Alesia and Bannockburn to the Spanish Armada, Stalingrad and Kyiv, discovering the dramatic moments when battles changed not just wars, but the course of civilisation itself. 

Perfect for anyone who loves military history, great storytelling and the epic characters who shaped our world.

IAIN MACGREGOR is a highly successful publisher of history, a writer, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His latest book is a vivid account of one of history’s most significant events: the race for nuclear technology, and the fateful decision by the USA to drop the world’s first atomic bomb that would bring about the end of the war with Japan. Based on new research and interviews with eyewitnesses on both sides, Iain’s powerful narrative charts the story of how WWII in the Pacific ushered in the nuclear age we live in today – all through the lives of key individuals.