William Gutteridge

Bill Gutteridge - Military historian and terrorologist

William Frank Gutteridge (21 September 1919 – 22 May 2008), known as Bill Gutteridge, was an expert on South Africa and latterly on terrorism. He was professor of international studies at Aston University and was the director of the now defunct Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism.

Biography

Early life and education

Gutteridge was the son of Frank and Nora Gutteridge and was educated at Stamford School, a British public school in Lincolnshire, and Hertford College, Oxford, where he studied modern history. He served in the Second World War and in 1944 married Margaret McCallum Parker.

At Sandhurst

In 1949 Gutteridge joined Sandhurst where he became senior lecturer in Commonwealth history and government. At Sandhurst he, “joined a group of young scholars, many of whom subsequently distinguished themselves as teachers and writers on Cold War issues.” At that time Sandhurst’s programmes had a broader academic content and Gutteridge focused on social and political, rather than just military, issues. He had a particular focus on sub-Sahara, Africa and before leaving Sandhurst he spent 1961-62 as Nuffield Foundation Travelling Fellow, studying the role of Armed Forces in Commonwealth Africa. In 1962 he joined a Chatham House Study Group exploring British relations with apartheid South Africa.

In academia

In 1963 Gutteridge became head of the languages and modern studies department at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University). In 1965 he became the secretary for the British Pugwash Group, a position he held until 1986. In 1971 he joined Aston University as Director of Complementary Studies, and became Professor of International Studies in 1976. During this time Gutteridge became known as an expert on southern Africa. His friend and colleague John Spence wrote in his obituary that, “He enjoyed unrivalled access to decision-making in the region and throughout his academic career displayed a capacity for detailed and penetrating understanding of the complexities of African politics.” Spence also noted that, “During the 1990s he also advised the South African government on the restructuring of the country's armed forces.”

Terrorism and conflict

From 1982 to 1989 Gutteridge was an Editorial Consultant for the Institute for the Study of Conflict, a right-wing propaganda outfit with connections to MI5 and the CIA. He became Editorial Director of the organisation after it was re-launched as the Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism having incorporating Paul Wilkinson’s Research Foundation for the Study of Terrorism. After Paul Wilkinson resigned as director of the Institute in April 1994, Gutteridge took over as director and its foremost media representative. The Institute ran into financial difficulties, and in late 1997 or early 1998 it moved to Gutteridge’s home in Lemington Spa to save on costs. According to The Times, RISCT “folded [in 1999] for lack of subscriptions.”

Political views

"The attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were acts of war and the United States could take reprisals against the bombers under international law without approval of the United Nations, terrorism experts said Friday. If the Americans find Iraqi connections, that could lift the lid right off, said William Gutteridge, director of the Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism in England. If this were the case, I would not be surprised if there were a direct action against Saddam Hussein. Although a Middle East link has not been established, experts said this was a possibility given the close historical Arab links with East Africa."

Affiliations

Institutions

• Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
• Institute for the Study of Conflict, Editorial Consultant
• Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism

Friends and associates

• John Spence

Publications

• Armed forces in new states (Institute of Race Relations. Paperbacks) by William Gutteridge (Unknown Binding - 1962) Publisher: Oxford University Press Place of Publication: London
• Military institutions and power in the new states by William Gutteridge (Unknown Binding - 1964)
• 1971 Aug Conflict Studies No 15: 'The coming confrontation in southern Africa' by W Gutteridge.
• Military Regimes in Africa (Study in African History) by William Gutteridge (Paperback - 10 April 1975)
• European Security, Nuclear Weapons and Public Confidence by William Gutteridge, Marian Dobrosielski, and Jorma Miettinen (Hardcover - Mar 1982)
• Libya: Still a Threat to Western Interests by William Gutteridge (Paperback - April 1984)
• South Africa: Evolution or Revolution? by William Gutteridge (Paperback - Jan 1985)
• The Dangers of New Weapon Systems by William R. Gutteridge and Trevor Taylor (Hardcover - Nov 1983)
• William Gutteridge (ed.) “The New. Terrorism”, (London: Mansell Publishing, 1986)
• Contemporary Terrorism (Paperback) by William Gutteridge (Editor) Facts on File (August 1987) ISBN-10: 0816017875, Published in association with the Institute for the Study of Conflict
• Case for Regional Security: Avoiding Conflict in the 1990's by William Gutteridge (Paperback - Jan 1989)
• South Africa's Military Capabilities by William Frank Gutteridge (Hardcover - Jan 1989)
• South Africa: From Apartheid to National Unity, 1981-94 (Research Institute for the Study of Conflict & Terrorism) by William Gutteridge (Hardcover - 9 Feb 1995)
• Terrorism in Context. Reviewed Work(s):Terrorism in Context. by Martha Crenshaw, Author(s) of Review: William Gutteridge International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), Vol. 71, No. 4, Special RIIA 75th Anniversary Issue (Oct., 1995), pp. 841-842 doi:10.2307/2625120 This article consists of 2 page(s).
• Reviewed Work(s): The Age of Terrorism and the International Political System. by Adrian Guelke Author(s) of Review: William Gutteridge International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), Vol. 72, No. 2, New Currents in Trade Policy Thinking (Apr., 1996), pp. 380-381 doi:10.2307/2624391 This article consists of 2 page(s).
• South Africa's Defence and Security into the 21st Century (Research Institute for the Study of Conflict & Terrorism) by William Gutteridge (Hardcover - 8 Feb 1996)
• Letter: Why Africa doubts US peace plan Independent, The (London), Nov 6, 1996 by Professor William Gutteridge.
• Gutteridge, William Frank, 1919- South Africa : potential of Mbeki's presidency / William Gutteridge. Leamington Spa, Warwickshire [England] : Research Institute for the Study of Conflict and Terrorism, c1999. Series title: Conflict studies ; no. 319/320.
• Violence in Southern Africa (Terrorism & Political Violence) (Paperback) by William Gutteridge (Editor), J.E. Spence (Editor) Paperback: 184 pages Publisher: Frank Cass Publishers (30 Jun 1997)
• Latin America and the Caribbean: Prospects for Democracy (Research Institute for the Study of Conflict & Terrorism) (Hardcover) by William Gutteridge (Editor, Introduction) Hardcover: 335 pages Publisher: Ashgate (4 Jul 1997)