Resources
Related Categories
|
|
|
Six Moments of Crisis
Inside British Foreign Policy
Gill Bennett
240 pages
|
10 integrated halftones
|
216x138mm
978-0-19-958375-1
|
Hardback
|
14 February 2013
|
|
|
|
|
- The inside story of six crucial British foreign policy challenges since the Second World War - from the Korean War to the Falklands crisis
- A book that lifts the lid on the making of British foreign policy - and on decisions that still arouse controversy to this day
- Reveals each decision in a way that has never been done before - telling the story from the inside out and without hindsight
- Shows not just why these crucial decisions were taken but offers a privileged glimpse into how history is actually made
Former Whitehall insider Gill Bennett unravels the story of six crucial British foreign policy challenges since the Second World War, from the Korean War to the Falklands conflict, offering an inside account of episodes that shaped Britain's position in the world for decades to come - and in some cases still arouse controversy to this day.
Lifting the lid on the making of British foreign policy from Clement Attlee to Margaret Thatcher, Bennett reveals each decision in a way that has never been done before: telling the story from the inside out and without
hindsight. The result is a book that explains not just why these controversial decisions were taken, but one that shows us how history is actually made - and also just how difficult these big decisions really were.
Gill Bennett considers exactly what ministers knew at the time; how personal experience, relationships, past events and prevailing circumstance influenced the decision-making process; and how the balance of history was tipped in each case: by argument, moral imperative, obligation - or even sheer force of personality.Readership: All those interested in foreign policy and international relations, and in the history of Britain since the Second World War
|
|
|
Gill Bennett, Former Chief Historian of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Gill Bennett, MA, OBE was Chief Historian of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from 1995-2005, and Senior Editor of the UK's official history of British foreign policy, Documents on British Policy Overseas. As a historian working in government for over thirty years, she offered historical advice to twelve Foreign Secretaries under six Prime Ministers. A specialist in the history of secret intelligence, she was part of the research team working on the official history of the Secret Intelligence Service, written by Professor Keith Jeffery and published in 2010. She is now involved in a range of research, writing and training
projects for various government departments.
|
|
|
"...impressive. This is a portrait of a formerly great power wrestling with decline." - Douglas Hurd, the New Statesman "Bennett's book is a living example of the importance of history, not just in the context of how and why these decisions were made, but in providing a guide to the complex, and at times misleading phrase: 'lessons of history'." - Keith Simpson, Total Politics "Fascinating." - Philip Stephens, the Financial Times "[A] masterly study... Besides providing many insights into leading policy-makers, Gill Bennett covers six major 'moments of crisis' spread over a period of more than 30 years in only 175 pages of text without ever oversimplifying. Her book is both a
very good read and admirably succinct." - Christopher Andrew, Literary Review "A wonderful text for the student of international relations, whom it will immunise against infection by arcane concepts and theories that bear little relation to the real world. It is, moreover, beautifully written and an object lesson for academics in history and the social sciences." - Vernon Bogdanor, Times Higher Education Supplement
|
|
|
Introduction: Challenging History: what it means and how to do it
1: Challenging Communism: Britain sends land forces to Korea, July 1950
2: Challenging Nasser: the Suez crisis, July 1956
3: Challenging de Gaulle: Britain applies to join the EEC, July 1961
4: Challenging Britain's world role: the decision to withdraw from East of Suez, January 1968
5: Challenging the KGB: Operation FOOT, September 1971
6: Challenging the Argentines: Britain sends a task force to the Falklands, April 1982
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
|
|
|
|
The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
|
|
