The country’s leaders have warned that Britons could be called into battle in the event of a war with Russia because the army is too small.
General Patrick Saunders, who has been a vocal critic of troop cuts, said Britain should “train and equip” its “national army” for a potential ground battle with Vladimir Putin’s forces.
This comes after Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO’s military committee, said countries need to prepare for the possibility of war with the Kremlin and conscription within the next 20 years.
In 2022, Sir Patrick said the UK was facing a “1937 moment” over the Ukraine war. How realistic is the possibility that conscription will be reintroduced?
What did Sir Patrick say?
Sir Patrick, the outgoing chief of staff, said in a speech that training militias was “not enough” to make up the gap, adding that allies in Eastern Europe and Northern Europe “are building the foundations of our nation.” It pointed out. mobilization”.
He said increasing the number of troops in preparation for potential conflict needed to be a “national undertaking.”
In the 12 months to September, the Army’s total strength fell from 79,139 to 75,983, a 4% annual decline and its lowest level in 200 years.
General Patrick said: “There should be credibility in the story that within the next three years, the British Army will have 120,000 soldiers in the Reserve and Strategic Reserve. But this is not enough.
“Our friends in Eastern and Northern Europe, who feel more acutely that the Russian threat is approaching, are already acting cautiously and laying the foundations for national mobilization.”
Taking steps to put Western societies on a war footing is “not just desirable, it’s essential,” he added.
The general was speaking at the International Armored Vehicles Conference in west London on Wednesday.
He will step down as Chief of Staff in June and be replaced by General Laurie Walker.
Conscription is the key to national survival
Chemical weapons expert Colonel Hamish de Brereton-Gordon described the British army as “pathetically small”.
He said the outcome of the war in Ukraine will be key to the risk of war with Russia. But for many, the Ukraine conflict, now in its third year, was “beyond comprehension” and had passed by, including conscription.
“But if we have to fight the Russians, it will happen. In times of national survival, you either shut up or put up with it,” he said. I. “You only have to look back to 1939, when people were rushing to the draft office to join the military.
“If that happens, people will pick up picks and shovels and go to war, so to speak, with the enemy, just as Britain has done for thousands of years.”
Colonel de Breton-Gordon is a former British and NATO commander, CBRN. [Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear] Troops.
Admiral Lord West, former Chief of the Royal Navy, said:
“If there’s a war, people have to accept things like conscription, and if there’s a war, they have to start doing what they’re told. But we’re a long way from that.”
What is the conscription age?
In World War II, men between the ages of 18 and 41 were conscripted; in World War I, the age range for conscription was 18 to 40, but was later extended to 51. I did. National service gradually ended in the late fifties.
Colonel de Breton Gordon suggested that age should “not matter” when it comes to who is drafted into the military. “I’m 60 years old and still an active reserve officer,” he said.
Women may also be drafted into the front line, with all roles in the military set to be open to women from 2018, following the end of a previous ban on women in close combat on the ground. Became.
In November 2016, the Royal Air Force Regiment became the first ground close combat branch to welcome female soldiers and officers, followed by the Royal Air Force Regiment in September 2017.
What is the threat of nuclear war?
The threat of nuclear war has never been greater, and the current risk is the greatest since the Cold War, Colonel de Breton-Gordon has warned.
If Russia launched a tactical nuclear weapon or invaded NATO territory, it would trigger a war with the Western military alliance.
He pointed to the “Doomsday Clock” set by atomic scientists to show how close the world is to nuclear Armageddon, saying it currently points to 90 seconds to midnight.
He questioned whether an information campaign was needed to warn the British public of the dangers of a nuclear attack.
“During the Cold War, we were all preparing for a nuclear attack. But today, we believe that is much more likely than during the Cold War,” he said. “So where are the pamphlets? Where are the black and white comics that tell us what to do?
“I developed an app about how most people in Ukraine are prepared. To react in the event of a nuclear accident or attack and survive afterwards. So why do people have that app on their phones? Is it not included?”
How big is the British army?
In the 12 months to September, the Army’s total strength fell from 79,139 to 75,983. Ministers agreed to further reduce the number of soldiers to 72,500 by 2025.
According to Ministry of Defense (MoD) statistics, the armed forces as a whole had more than 7,000 fewer personnel in the third quarter of last year compared to the same period in 2022, bringing the total number of troops to 184,860.
Former military leaders have urged the government to try to increase defense spending after Defense Secretary Grant Shapps insisted the UK would “endeavor” to raise defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP). I asked them to strengthen it.
Lord West said talk of conscription would focus public opinion on the need for conscription, suggesting an even larger increase to 3% of GDP.
“We need to get our act together in this country and start spending enough on defense so we don’t have to mobilize and go to war,” he added.
“If we don’t spend enough money on defense, we could end up in a situation where we have to fight.”
Sir Hamish also argued for a funding boost amid threats from President Vladimir Putin, saying a strong NATO and Britain were needed to stop the Russian leader. “People need to understand that Putin is absolutely serious. In his perfect world, he would conquer all of Europe, including Britain,” he said.
