Find out more about how we’re covering Modern Conflict at the Chalke History Festival this year.

As conflict and instability continue to dominate the global conversation, this year’s Chalke History Festival will bring together some of the world’s leading military thinkers, historians, journalists and political strategists to explore the forces shaping today’s world.

From Russia’s war in Ukraine and rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific to authoritarian regimes, energy politics and the future of global security, the festival’s Modern Conflict talks offer audiences the chance to go beyond the headlines and hear directly from those who understand the realities of modern warfare, diplomacy and power.

See the full List Of Talks here

Rob Bertholee, Ben Hodges, Mick Ryan and Richard Shirreff at Chalke History Festival in 2025

Global Strategy and Modern Warfare

In On Strategists and Strategy, Sir Lawrence Freedman joins Peter Caddick-Adams to explore how strategy shapes the modern world, from nuclear deterrence and the Falklands War to the conflicts dominating today’s headlines. 17:30 – 18:30 | Wednesday 24 June

Meanwhile, The Generals Review brings together an extraordinary panel including Rob Bertholee, Ben Hodges, James Holland, David Richards, Mick Ryan and Richard Shirreff to assess the threats facing the West and how prepared we are to confront them. 10:00 – 11:15 | Saturday 27 June

Europe and Russia

In Hinterlands: Journeys Through Europe’s Unfinished Frontiers, journalist Hannah Lucinda Smith examines the fragile regions and unresolved tensions across eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Caucasus that have helped shape today’s geopolitical crises.
13:00 – 13:45 | Thursday 25 June

Providing a deeply personal perspective on war is From Mariupol to the White House Via the Oscars: A Filmmaker’s Journey, where Ukrainian filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov reflects on the realities of documenting conflicts and the global impact of his Oscar-winning documentary 20 Days in Mariupol. 17:30 – 18:30 | Sat, 27 June

The Indo-Pacific and Global Power

Global power shifts are explored further in The Indo-Pacific Power Struggle and Its Global Impact, where experts Franco Algieri, Julian Lindley-French, Mick Ryan and Tomonori Yoshizaki examine rising tensions surrounding China, Taiwan and the future balance of global power. 15:45 – 16:45 | Friday 26 June

Ali Ansari and Helen Thompson at Chalke History Festival in 2024

The Middle East and Energy Politics

In Iran, the US and the Politics of Oil, Ali Ansari, General Ben Hodges and Helen Thompson unravel the deeper history behind one of the world’s most enduring geopolitical flashpoints. 20:00 – 21:00 | Friday 26 June

Africa & South America: Challenging Authoritarian Power

Questions of democracy and resistance take centre stage in How to Unseat a Dictator, where opposition leaders Bobi Wine and Leopoldo López join strategist Greg Mills to discuss the realities of challenging authoritarian power. 17:30 – 18:30 | Thursday 25 June

Together, these talks offer a timely and thought-provoking exploration of war, leadership, diplomacy and global instability; providing historical context and expert insight into the conflicts shaping our future.

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