The Evolution of Britain's Defense Posture, 1945-1979

Abstract

This paper attempts to concisely detail the evolution of Britain's post-war defense posture. Dividing it into six phases between 1945 and 1979 its emphasis is on the trends with regard to defense spending as a share of GDP, the manning of the forces, their mission and deployment internationally, and to a lesser extent the force sizing and technological development of key capabilities (e.g. nuclear and naval).

Keywords: Post-War British History, British Defense Policy, Britain Defense Policy 1945-1979, Military History, 20th Century British History, 20th Century Military History