The government is spending $524,000 to what?

From Andrew Bolt's blog: It seems incredible that no one in 91 years has asked this question, so who can object to the Rudd Government now spending $524,000 to find out the answer? From the latest list of approved Australian Research Council Grants: Approved Project Title How the Allies Won the First World War 2010 :$ 106,000 2011 :$ 107,000 2012 :$ 105,000 2013 :$ 105,000 2014 : $ 101,000 Primary RFCD 4301 HISTORICAL STUDIES ARF Dr EP Greenhalgh The University of New South Wales Wars are expensive undertakings, and an understanding of Australia’s successful part in the First World War will prove helpful in avoiding expensive mistakes in any future coalition operations to which Australia might contribute. This research will provide a better understanding of Australia’s military contribution in 1914-18 by revealing how the international coalition worked. In addition, the success of 1918, in contradistinction to the failed offensive on Gallipoli, should provide lessons for military planners, logistics experts, and civil-military relations generally. The analysis of how wars end will provide especially useful lessons as the messy conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan follow the Vietnam War into history. The last time this area was investigated, it cost Australian taxpayers zero and resulted in a much-admired besteller.  How the allies won in Iraq might actually be a better guide to undertaking future operations, but that’s been written, too, and again at zero cost to taxpayers. UPDATE Reader MudCrab answers the question for free in comments below. Half a mill saved, right there. [Hmmm, I wonder how much of this grant money will be spent putting the "researcher" up in Paris for an extended period?]

Posted via email from Garth's posterous