Over a long career, John Hardman has specialised to great effect in teasing out, from speeches, decrees, minutes, memoranda, letters, diaries and unsent drafts, the varied moods of French political de

In the 21st century, we have moved into an era of performative covert action. Leaders such as Vladimir Putin have used the shadow of death to coerce their enemies overseas and to reinforce their warri

When General Francisco Franco died on 20 November 1975 – 39 years after the start of the brutal civil war that brought him to power – the prospect of a bloodless transition to democracy in Spain appea

Despite recent shockwaves in the Middle East, Washington need not fear losing its position there to Moscow or Beijing

Qatar’s lobbying blitz in Washington has seen its influence grow over U.S. lawmakers, raising questions about power, politics and global alignment

Idi Amin is a historical figure synonymous with evil. Branded ‘Africa’s Hitler’ in newspaper headlines and immortalised in lurid books and documentaries detailing his regime’s many atrocities, Uganda’