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The soldier turned diplomat
Harold Alexander may be associated with Italy in the Second World War, but his actions in Latvia in 1919 potentially prevented a civil war.
Foreign Office Historians
Reopening the British Embassy following the liberation of Paris
On 13 September 1944 a Dakota aircraft, with an escort of 45 Spitfires, flew across the English Channel towards Paris. The plane carried the new British Ambassador to France, Alfred ‘Duff’ Cooper, with the mission to re-establish a British presence in the newly liberated French capital.
Diplomatic countdown to war
With a flurry of diplomatic activity in the first 3 days of September 1939, was the Second World War inevitable?
What’s the context? Polish cryptologists reveal they have cracked the Enigma code, 26 July 1939
On 26 July 1939, in a forest near Warsaw, Polish code breakers told their British colleagues how they had cracked the German Enigma code. As war against Nazi Germany approached, the meeting symbolised the importance of political, as well as intelligence co-operation in the struggle ahead.
A pyrrhic victory? Victory Day, 1919
Whilst Victory day 1919 was planned as a celebration, the emotions evoked were more diverse and complex.
Forward or backward looking? The Treaty of Versailles
German anger at the Treaty of Versailles between the wars is well known. Hitler, in his rise to power, exploited this deep resentment. So how did such a contentious document come into existence and why was it signed?
D-Day is one of the best known invasions in history, but it did not happen without a high cost
Once the Allies decided to land in Normandy, they identified the need to practice.
What’s the context? 4 April 1949: signature of the North Atlantic Treaty
NATO remains the cornerstone of Western security. But as it celebrates its 70th birthday, it is worth remembering the part played in the negotiations by other regions such as Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific.
What’s the context? 31 March 1939: the British guarantee to Poland
On 31 March 1939 Neville Chamberlain committed Britain to defending Polish independence. After years of trying to preserve peace and buy time for rearmament, he recognised that international developments and domestic opinion meant this guarantee was necessary, though it was to mean war with Germany 6 months later.
What was happening between the armistice and the opening of the Paris peace talks?
The armistice agreement with Germany was signed on 11 November 1918, but the Peace Conference did not start proceedings until 18 January 1919. With so much at stake, why did it take 2 months for discussions to start?