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Contribute to War Lessons

War Lessons publishes original analysis from writers with genuine expertise in military history, defence strategy, geopolitics, weapons technology, and security studies. We are read by defence professionals, veterans, academics, students, and informed general readers worldwide.

If you have something original and well-argued to say about warfare — past or present — we want to hear from you.

What We Publish

We are not a news wire. We look for pieces that advance the reader’s understanding of warfare, strategy, or conflict — not summaries of what happened, but analysis of what it means. Every article should answer one question a reader has, and leave them knowing something they did not know before.

We publish across six categories:

• Military History — historical battles and campaigns from any era, with lessons drawn
• Modern Warfare — contemporary conflicts, tactics, and the evolving character of war
• Geopolitics — strategic analysis, power competition, and international security
• Military Technology — weapons systems, hardware, and the technology driving military change
• War Lessons — strategic mistakes, tactical brilliance, and leadership insights extracted from history
• Defense News — rapid analysis of breaking developments in global security

Article Requirements

• Length: 1,500–4,000 words for full analysis. 400–700 words for Defense News briefs.
• Argument: Every piece must have a clear central claim — not just a topic
• Sources: Primary sources, original research, or direct professional experience preferred
• Originality: We do not accept content published elsewhere, in whole or in part
• Tone: Authoritative but accessible — written for an intelligent general audience, not just specialists

Who Should Pitch

We welcome submissions from:

• Retired and serving military officers with relevant operational experience
• Defence academics and research fellows
• Security analysts and policy professionals
• Journalists with a verified track record covering conflict and security
• Advanced students (postgraduate level) with a strong supervisor endorsement

We evaluate every pitch on two things: the strength of the argument, and the writer’s qualifications to make it.

How to Submit a Pitch

We operate on a pitch-first basis — please do not send completed articles without prior discussion.

Send your pitch to [email protected] with the subject line: Pitch: [Your Proposed Headline]

Your pitch email should include:

1. Proposed headline and a 100–150 word summary of your argument
2. Why now — why does this piece matter at this moment?
3. Your credentials — a 2–3 sentence bio establishing why you are qualified to write this
4. Word count and category you are targeting

We respond to all pitches within 5 working days. If you have not heard back in 7 days, a single follow-up is welcome.

Editorial Process

Accepted pieces go through a single round of editing focused on argument, structure, and clarity — not style. We will not change your position or your voice. We may request revisions before publication. Final editorial decisions rest with our editors and are not subject to appeal.

Corrections Policy

We take factual accuracy seriously. Published pieces that contain factual errors will be corrected with a dated correction note. Authors are expected to bring errors to our attention promptly.

A Note on Volume

We receive more pitches than we can publish. A rejection is not a judgement on the quality of your writing — it often simply means the topic does not fit our current editorial calendar. We encourage you to pitch again with a different piece.

War Lessons is committed to rigorous, independent analysis of conflict. We do not accept sponsored content, and advertiser relationships have no bearing on editorial decisions.