Australian military history
The War Studies Research Group is the leading global centre for Australian military history. Our research is on the cutting edge of the field, combining traditional operational military history with new approaches.
Australian military history
WSG research and publish across a wide variety of topics and themes within Australian military history. WSG members have published on Australian participation in conflicts ranging from the South African War to contemporary peacekeeping and Middle Eastern deployments, and on areas such as Indigenous service, command, logistics and sexuality.
We have consistently generated substantial impact with public, academic and professional audiences.
Official history
Since 2016 members of the War Studies Group have been integral to the The Official History of Australian Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Australian Peacekeeping Operations in East Timor. The first volume, Born of Fire and Ash: Australian Peacekeeping Operations in East Timor Vol. 1, was published in December 2022 to widespread acclaim. Members of the WSG were also authors and researchers for The Official History of Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post–Cold War Operations, while Dr Rhys Crawley was a researcher and author for The Official History of ASIO.
Digital history
UNSW Canberra is at the forefront of innovative approaches to digital Australian military history. This includes the trailblazing AIF Project, the Australians at War Film Archive, and two geospatial databases: Australia’s Vietnam War and Australians in Bomber Command.
The Other Side of the Hill
In addition to Australian military history, WSG members have expertise in a range of areas across global military history. Dr David Stahel is a world-leading expert on German operations on the Eastern Front in the Second World War, and has published extensively on both operational history and criminality and genocide. WSG members have also researched more widely on Nazi Germany and the Italian Army in the Second World War.
Postgraduate research
UNSW Canberra has a long tradition of excellence in postgraduate research. War Studies Group currently supervise candidates across a range of areas and degree levels. If you are interested in studying with us, more information can be found here.