N. H. Gibbs
Encyclopedia
Norman Henry Gibbs was Chichele Professor of the History of War
at Oxford University for 24 years from 1953 to 1977, the longest tenure of all who have held the chair since its establishment in 1909.
in 1928, becoming Senior Demy in 1928. After completing his bachelor's degree, he continued his graduate studies at Magdalen and while doing so was appointed assistant lecturer at University College, London in 1934–36. In 1935, Gibbs completed his D.Phil. thesis in medieval history under the direction of K. B. McFarlane
on The history of Reading in the later Middle Ages, considered with special reference to the importance of the gild merchant in mediaeval seigniorial boroughs. In 1936, he was appointed tutor in modern history at Merton College, Oxford
.
At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Gibbs joined the 1st King's Dragoon Guards
. During his military service, he first developed an interested in military history. In 1943, he was one of the first officers to be seconded to the Cabinet Office
, at the beginning on the work to write the official history of the war.
While in the Cabinet Office, Gibbs wrote a study on British troops in Egypt
during the pre-war years and their preparedness for the campaign against German troops under General Erwin Rommel
in the Western Desert. Completing that work, he went on to be an assistant to Professor W. K. Hancock and wrote a detailed study on the structure of the British government and its relationships to the armed forces from 1850 through World War II. After demobilisation, Gibbs returned to his fellowship at Merton College, Oxford
, where he taught modern history and philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE). In 1952, he published a revised edition of A. B. Keith's British Cabinet Government, making significant additions on the history of the British War Cabinet
. At this time, he began working on the first volume of the official history of World War II in the Grand Strategy serieshttp://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/index.html, to be entitled Rearmament Policy.
Gibbs's tenure in the chair developed on three lines: First, he continued the research and writing that he had begun in the Cabinet Office
. Second, he promoted closer and more direct educational relationships between Oxford and the armed forces, contributing to better civil-military relations. Third, while primarily interested in military history
and naval history
, he promoted the development of the new field of strategic studies
.
Norman Gibb's Inaugural Lecture as Chichele Professor of the History of War
was devoted to The Origins of the Committee of Imperial Defence. It quickly became a basic reference for generations of his graduate students.
In his work with the uniformed services, he established with a series of courses for officers of the Royal Air Force
to qualify them for further studies at the staff college level. Gibbs's success in this, led him to expand his teaching to include senior officers and to encourage the services to second officers from their regiments to read for undergraduate degrees at Oxford. This led the Admiralty
to appoint Gibbs to its Naval Educational Advisory Council, which saw him rise to become its vice-chairman and then chairman.
In 1965, Gibbs established an annual series of NATO conferences at St. John's College, Oxford, which brought academics together with senior NATO officials and the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe each summer.
With Professor Max Beloff, Gibbs began a series of seminars that were the earliest contributions to strategic studies in the United Kingdom. With Piers Mackesy
, he taught the undergraduate special subject in military history and took on the supervision of a wide range of graduate students. In addition, he managed the newly established Visiting Fellows programme at All Souls College, Oxford
.
He served on the council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies
, the council of the Royal United Services Institute
and was a Research Associate, Center for International Studies at Princeton University
in 1965-66. He was Visiting Professor in the Department of History at the University of New Brunswick
in 1975-76; the United States Military Academy
in 1978-79, and the National University of Singapore
in 1981-82.
In 1979, the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
, General Andrew Jackson Goodpaster awarded Gibbs the U.S. Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for the superb quality of his teaching and in recognition of his many contributions as Chichele professor to military education.
Among his graduate student pupils who later become well known were Colin S. Gray
, John B. Hattendorf, Robert S. Jordan, Malcolm Murfett, Robert J. O'Neill
, George C. Peden, N.A.M. Rodger, Charles S. Townshend
, and Jehuda L. Wallach.
Chichele Professor of the History of War
One of the statutory Chichele Professorships established at All Souls College, Oxford, this chair was originally established in 1909 as the Chichele Professorship of Military History...
at Oxford University for 24 years from 1953 to 1977, the longest tenure of all who have held the chair since its establishment in 1909.
Education and early career
Gibbs was an Open Exhibitioner at Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
in 1928, becoming Senior Demy in 1928. After completing his bachelor's degree, he continued his graduate studies at Magdalen and while doing so was appointed assistant lecturer at University College, London in 1934–36. In 1935, Gibbs completed his D.Phil. thesis in medieval history under the direction of K. B. McFarlane
K. B. McFarlane
Kenneth Bruce McFarlane was one of the 20th century's most influential historians of late medieval England. He was born on 18 October 1903 and was the only child of A. McFarlane, OBE. His father was a civil servant in the Admiralty and the young McFarlane's childhood was an unhappy one. This may...
on The history of Reading in the later Middle Ages, considered with special reference to the importance of the gild merchant in mediaeval seigniorial boroughs. In 1936, he was appointed tutor in modern history at Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
.
At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Gibbs joined the 1st King's Dragoon Guards
1st King's Dragoon Guards
The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1685 as The Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed The King's Own Regiment of Horse in 1714 in honour of George I...
. During his military service, he first developed an interested in military history. In 1943, he was one of the first officers to be seconded to the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
, at the beginning on the work to write the official history of the war.
While in the Cabinet Office, Gibbs wrote a study on British troops in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
during the pre-war years and their preparedness for the campaign against German troops under General Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
in the Western Desert. Completing that work, he went on to be an assistant to Professor W. K. Hancock and wrote a detailed study on the structure of the British government and its relationships to the armed forces from 1850 through World War II. After demobilisation, Gibbs returned to his fellowship at Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, where he taught modern history and philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE). In 1952, he published a revised edition of A. B. Keith's British Cabinet Government, making significant additions on the history of the British War Cabinet
War Cabinet
A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers. It is also quite common for a War Cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members....
. At this time, he began working on the first volume of the official history of World War II in the Grand Strategy serieshttp://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/index.html, to be entitled Rearmament Policy.
Chichele Professor
Gibbs's election to the Chichele Chair at the age of 42 marked a turning point in the study of military and naval history at Oxford. All of his predecessors had been career military men, self-trained historians, or journalists. Not only was Gibbs one of Oxford's own academic historians, he was one of the few already established historians in Britain to have direct experience of the most recent historical research and writing within the British armed forces. His appointment marked a very important change by which war history became a respectable academic field and allowed Oxford to play a major role in the development of military and strategic studies throughout the Cold War era, providing additionally an important academic link between Oxford and the armed forces.Gibbs's tenure in the chair developed on three lines: First, he continued the research and writing that he had begun in the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
. Second, he promoted closer and more direct educational relationships between Oxford and the armed forces, contributing to better civil-military relations. Third, while primarily interested in military history
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
and naval history
Naval history
Naval history is the area of military history concerning war at sea and the subject is also a sub-discipline of the broad field of maritime history....
, he promoted the development of the new field of strategic studies
Strategic studies
Strategic studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning the relationship between politics, geography and natural resources, economics, and military power, such as the role of intelligence, diplomacy and threats in the preparation and use of force...
.
Norman Gibb's Inaugural Lecture as Chichele Professor of the History of War
Chichele Professor of the History of War
One of the statutory Chichele Professorships established at All Souls College, Oxford, this chair was originally established in 1909 as the Chichele Professorship of Military History...
was devoted to The Origins of the Committee of Imperial Defence. It quickly became a basic reference for generations of his graduate students.
In his work with the uniformed services, he established with a series of courses for officers of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
to qualify them for further studies at the staff college level. Gibbs's success in this, led him to expand his teaching to include senior officers and to encourage the services to second officers from their regiments to read for undergraduate degrees at Oxford. This led the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
to appoint Gibbs to its Naval Educational Advisory Council, which saw him rise to become its vice-chairman and then chairman.
In 1965, Gibbs established an annual series of NATO conferences at St. John's College, Oxford, which brought academics together with senior NATO officials and the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe each summer.
With Professor Max Beloff, Gibbs began a series of seminars that were the earliest contributions to strategic studies in the United Kingdom. With Piers Mackesy
Piers Mackesy
Piers Gerald Mackesy is a British military historian who taught at the University of Oxford.-Early life and education:...
, he taught the undergraduate special subject in military history and took on the supervision of a wide range of graduate students. In addition, he managed the newly established Visiting Fellows programme at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
.
He served on the council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a British research institute in the area of international affairs. It describes itself as "the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict"...
, the council of the Royal United Services Institute
Royal United Services Institute
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies , officially still known by its old name, the Royal United Services Institution, is a British defence and security think tank. It was founded in 1831 by The Duke of Wellington.RUSI describes itself asIt won Prospect Magazine's...
and was a Research Associate, Center for International Studies at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1965-66. He was Visiting Professor in the Department of History at the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
in 1975-76; the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1978-79, and the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
in 1981-82.
In 1979, the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, General Andrew Jackson Goodpaster awarded Gibbs the U.S. Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for the superb quality of his teaching and in recognition of his many contributions as Chichele professor to military education.
Among his graduate student pupils who later become well known were Colin S. Gray
Colin S. Gray
Colin S. Gray is a British-American strategic thinker and professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the University of Reading, where he is the director of the Centre for Strategic Studies. In addition, he is a Senior Associate to the National Institute for Public Policy.Gray...
, John B. Hattendorf, Robert S. Jordan, Malcolm Murfett, Robert J. O'Neill
Robert J. O'Neill
Robert John O'Neill AO is Chair of the International Academic Advisory Committee at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, was director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, based in London, 1982-1987, and Chichele Professor of the History of War at Oxford...
, George C. Peden, N.A.M. Rodger, Charles S. Townshend
Charles Townshend (Historian)
Charles Townshend FBA is a British historian with particular expertise on the historic role of British imperialism in Ireland and Palestine.Townshend is currently Professor of International History at Keele University...
, and Jehuda L. Wallach.
Published writings
- Makers of England by N. H. Gibbs and L.W.T. Gibbs (1935).
- The British Cabinet system by Arthur Berriedale Keith. 2nd ed by N. H. Gibbs (1952).
- The origins of imperial defence: an inaugural lecture delivered before the University of Oxford on 8 June 1955 (1955).
- The Soviet System and Democratic Society edited by N. H. Gibbs (1967).
- Grand strategy, volume I: Rearmament policy (1976).