IWM in Conversation: Iain MacGregor
About the event
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. Across three millennia, wars have been won not simply by numbers or weapons, but by morale, leadership, innovation and timing. In this talk, author and historian Iain MacGregor takes audiences on a gripping journey from Marathon and Alesia to Gettysburg and Stalingrad, exploring the decisive moments when history turned on a single battle. Drawing on eyewitness testimony, battlefield research and fresh analysis, MacGregor reveals why certain clashes mattered - and why their lessons continue to shape modern conflict. A compelling exploration of how human decision‑making under extreme pressure has forged nations, empires and the world we inhabit today. Iain MacGregor is the author of the acclaimed history of Cold War Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, and the recently published The Lighthouse of Stalingrad: The Hidden Truth Behind WWII’s Greatest Battle, a revelatory history drawing on newly discovered and unpublished sources. Adults £20
