This book investigates the origins, implementation, and eventual decline of current affairs and citizenship education programs within the British Army between 1914 and 1950. S. P. MacKenzie, a noted historian of military affairs, utilizes extensive archival research to evaluate the strategic rationale behind these educational initiatives. He examines how the Army Bureau of Current Affairs and the Army Educational Corps functioned as conduits for political discourse and assesses their impact on the ideological orientation of soldiers during the mid-twentieth century.

Scholars recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of military policy and political socialization in the British context. Experts frequently highlight the rigor of MacKenzie's research and his balanced approach to the controversial influence of army education on the 1945 election results.