The duty of a historian is simply to understand and then convey that understanding, no more than that.

The vital thing for me is to integrate the history from above with the history from below because only in that way can you show the true consequences of the decisions of Hitler or Stalin or whomever on the ordinary civilians caught up in the battle.

I just love the days when you come out of the archives with half a dozen excellent descriptions or poignant accounts of personal experiences.

I just write the sort of book that I would enjoy reading myself, a book that is both scholarly and recreates the experience of people at that time.

The great help of being in the Army is to understand why are the armies clever in what they describe as emotional intelligence, making soldiers come to terms with the death of comrades by certain rituals.

I think it's outrageous if a historian has a 'leading thought' because it means they will select their material according to their thesis

The duty of a historian is simply to understand and then convey that understanding, no more than that.