Robert O'Neill (historian)

Robert John O'Neill AO (born 5 November 1936) 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 University from 1987 to 2000.

Early life and education

O'Neill graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1958, and from 1958 to 1969, served as an officer in the Regular Australian Army, during which time as an infantry Captain he was Mentioned in Despatches during the Vietnam War. In 1965, he completed his D.Phil. thesis at Oxford University on The relationship between the German Army and the Nazi Party, 1933–9 under the direction of one of his predecessors as Chichele Professor of the History of War, Professor N. H. Gibbs.

Academic career

O'Neill served as Senior lecturer in History, Royal Military College, Duntroon, 1968–69. He was head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University in 1971–82, Senior Fellow in international Relations, 1969–1977, Professorial Fellow, 1977–1982. Australian official historian of the Korean War from 1970 until 1982, director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies 1982–87 and Chichele Professor of the History of War at Oxford University from 1987 to 2001. He was the founding Chairman of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2000–2005. He was Chair of the International Academic Advisory Committee at the United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney from 2008 to 2011. He was Chairman of Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, London, 1998–2001 (Trustee 1990–1998). He was Chairman of the Council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, 1996–2001 (Council member 1977–82 and 1992–96).

Awards

• Officer of the Order of Australia, in the Australia Day Honours of 1988.
• Centenary Medal, in 2001.
• Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
• Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.
• Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Australia
• Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
• 2 Silver Stars
• 4 Bronze Stars with Valor
• Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor
• 3 Presidential Unit citations
• 2 Navy/Marine Corps Commendations with Valor

Published works

• The German Army and the Nazi Party, 1933–1939 by Robert J. O'Neill; foreword by Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart. (1966)
• Vietnam task; the 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, 1966/67 (1968)
• General Giap; politician and strategist (1969)
• The strategy of General Giap since 1964 (1969)
• The Army in Papua-New Guinea : current role and implications for independence (1972)
• Australia's defence capacity : a compendium of data by Robert O'Neill and Robyn McLean (1972)
• The strategic nuclear balance: an Australian perspective edited by Robert O'Neill (1975)
• The Defence of Australia : fundamental new aspects, the proceedings of a conference organized by the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, The Australian National University, October 1976 edited by Robert O'Neill (1976)
• A select bibliography of Australian military history, 1891–1939 compiled by Jean Fielding and Robert O'Neill (1978)
• Australia in the Korean War 1950–53 (1981–85)
• New directions in strategic thinking edited by Robert O'Neill and D.M. Horner (1981)
• Security in East Asia edited by Robert O'Neill (1984)
• Australia, Britain, and international security : retrospect and prospect (1985)
• The Conduct of East-West relations in the 1980s edited by Robert O'Neill (1985)
• New technology and western security policy edited by Robert O'Neill (1985)
• Doctrine, the Alliance and arms control edited by Robert O'Neill (1986)
• East Asia, the West and international security edited by Robert O'Neill (1987) ISBN 0-208-02204-X
• Hedley Bull on arms control, selected and introduced by Robert O'Neill and David N. Schwartz (1987)
• Prospects for security in the Mediterranean edited by Robert O'Neill (1988) ISBN 0-208-02233-3
• Alliances and international order : an inaugural lecture delivered before the University of Oxford on 20 November 1987 (1988)
• The West and the Third World : essays in honour of J. D. B. Miller edited by Robert O'Neill and R. J. Vincent (1990) ISBN 0-333-43652-0
• Peace and global interdependence : are they compatible? : a lecture delivered at St. Antony's College, Oxford on 25 October 1989 (1990) ISBN 1-871191-22-X
• Securing peace in Europe, 1945–62 : thoughts for the post–Cold War era edited by Beatrice Heuser and Robert O'Neill (1992) ISBN 0-312-06217-6
• War, strategy, and international politics : essays in honour of Sir Michael Howard edited by Lawrence Freedman, Paul Hayes, and Robert O'Neill (1992) ISBN 0-19-822292-0
• Oxford University's links with Canada: a memorandum by Adam Roberts and Robert O'Neill
• Alternative nuclear futures : the role of nuclear weapons in the post–cold war world edited by John Baylis and Robert O'Neill. (2000) ISBN 0-19-829624-X

References

http://www.leadingauthorities.com/speakers/robert-oneill.html

External links

• Transcript of an interview with Robert O'Neill at The Australians at War Film Archive
• United States Studies Centre