Modern

The Phantom Attack In the summer of 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin became the setting for one of the most consequential misunderstandings in modern American history. The destroyer USS Maddox was conducting intelligence patrols along the North Vietnamese coast when, on August 2nd, it exchanged fire with several Vietcong patrol boats. The incident was brief and inconclusive but quickly became framed as proof of North Vietnamese aggression.  Two days later, reports of a second attack

When assessing the many indelible scars left upon the Indian subcontinent by British colonial rule, Kashmir often stands out as one of the most painful aspects of British failure. This wound remains visible in modern life as a result of the Line of Control, an enabling structure of militarised control and frequent border skirmishes, and part of the legacy of Cyril Radcliffe, a stark contrast to his subsequent public life as our inaugural Chancellor at Warwick until his untime

By the 1950s, the world’s most dominant colonial powers were crumbling. The impacts of the second world war were too much to overcome, and, with ascension of two new anti-imperialist superpowers, Britain, France and the Netherlands lost their grip on their colonies. Whether it was largely peaceful resistance, like that of India or Ghana, or violent anti-colonial insurgencies, like that of Kenya and Algeria, it was certainly clear that the people wanted out. There was, however

236 years ago this week, on October 15th, the newly elected president of the now independent United States of America, George Washington, began his first presidential tour. Washington travelled across the northern states, hoping to rally support for the newly created constitution and engage with the American public. It was decisions such as these that made Washington so revered, so unifying, and so popular. Yet, the great nation that he set out to create has certainly dive

Cuba and the Crisis of Control By the early 1960s, Cuba had become the site of America’s deepest anxieties. The island was no longer a distant periphery, instead becoming a hostile presence within breathing distance of the Florida coast. Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959, and his subsequent alignment with the Soviet Union, transformed Cuba into the Cold War’s most immediate fault line. For Washington, the challenge was not merely strategic but symbolic. To tolerate Castro w

Following the U.S. withdrawal from Saigon in 1975, many attributed the military’s defeat in Vietnam to public opinion turning against the war and politicians refusing to send more money and troops. Whilst these were two elements that made winning the war harder for the U.S., they downplay the struggle of the Viet Cong guerrillas and the North Vietnamese Army’s (NVA) leadership, as well as the U.S. alienating their allies. After the expulsion of French colonial rule in 1955,

The Marshall Plan, officially known as the European Recovery Plan (ERP), was announced in 1947 as part of the U.S.’ effort to secure political dominance within the international community. It was developed by President Harry S. Truman and his Secretary of State, George Marshall. America, unable to isolate itself in the post-war world, offered $13 billion in aid to Europe — an unprecedented figure at the time. The purpose was twofold: to counter the growing appeal of commun

Throughout the Cold War, the spectre of communism was as much a political ritual as it was a perceived reality, summoned whenever Washington needed its wars to look like necessities rather than choices. The narrative of creeping communist influence could transform local politics into the front line of a global struggle against its spread. The dogma of Domino Theory and its antidote of Containment gave that story its urgency. They were hardened by fears from China’s revolution

"Peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." – Ronald Reagan Since its inception in 1901, the Nobel Peace Prize has stood as one of the most prestigious international recognitions for efforts in conflict resolution, diplomacy, and humanitarian advocacy. Over time, it has not only reflected prevailing global ideals about peace but also helped shape the discourse on the legitimacy and power of nonviolent action. From ea

In the autumn of 1830, the fields of southern and eastern England ignited in protest. Hayricks burned, threshing machines were smashed, and threatening letters signed by the elusive figure ‘Captain Swing’, began arriving on the desks of magistrates, landlords, and parish officials. These missives, often scribbled in crude grammar but with unmistakable intent, warned of further destruction unless wages were raised and machines destroyed. The so-called ‘Swing Riots’, which swep

The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 initiated the construction of a new ideological and institutional order. Besides dismantling the autocratic rule of the Russian Empire, the newly formed Soviet Union would reimagine the fundamental foundations of society. Central to this transformation was the reimagining of education as a tool for political and social engineering. Under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet regime embedded Marxist-Leninist ideology into the very fabric

No figure is more emblematic of the Victorian era than Queen Victoria herself, whose reign from 1837 to 1901 gave the period its name. Yet this epoch is also synonymous with other towering figures of history—none more so than its most quintessential statesman, William Ewart Gladstone. Serving four non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister and leaving office in 1894 at the age of 84, Gladstone’s political life was marked by extraordinary achievements and striking contradictions.

Have you ever gotten out of a particularly engrossing lecture and thought ‘this lecturer would make a great world leader’? Neither have I, but this situation befell Portugal for much of the twentieth century. Professor Antonio Salazar ruled the Iberian nation between 1932 and 1968. In many ways, Salazar’s academic background and reputation were vital in allowing him to reach the upper echelons of Portuguese politics. It would also define the way he ruled, as he succeeded i

Though first articulated to Congress in 1823, the Monroe Doctrine would not become a significant part of US foreign policy until the closing moments of the nineteenth century. Further still, whilst initially a policy of isolationism in regard to Europe, it has become synonymous with US neo-imperialism and the extension of interests—perhaps no nation is more aware of this than Guatemala. The United Fruit Company Starting in 1899, in an attempt to modernise the country, G

On 22 April 1870, Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov was born into a middle-class family in Simbirsk (now Ulyanovsk), Russia. His family had ascended from serfdom thanks to his uncle, who funded his father Ilya's education. Ilya became a prominent figure in the push for public education, and his passion for learning and political engagement was passed on to young Vladimir. However, tragedy struck in 1887 when Vladimir's brother Aleksandr was executed for his involvement in a failed as

On 3 November 1948, early editions of the Chicago Daily Tribune boldly declared, ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’. With votes still being counted, little faith was placed in the re-election of Harry S. Truman, the incumbent president. His approval rate was down to 36 per cent before the campaign even started, and he did not represent the expected nominee for the Democratic Party. Yet, against all odds, Truman triumphed in a stunning and decisive victory over all his opponents. The 1948

When people think of the Whitechapel murders that horrified London during the last quarter of the 19th century, there is a very slight chance that they can remember and actually recall the names of the five ‘canonical victims’ of Jack the Ripper. These five – Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly – are forever immortalized in history due to their direct association with the Ripper, an association established by the primitive

The defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War can be attributed to a synergy of technological innovation, effective leadership, and the impassioned valour of Allied forces. Certain historical explanations of WWII use counterfactuals, which are hypothetical, ‘what if’ scenarios, to suggest that a slight alteration of events could have led to a drastically different outcome. These scenarios range from intriguing to outright ludicrous. This article will explore some of thes

With the release of Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu at the start of this year, the long shadows left by the German Expressionist film and art movement are visible once again. But the movement, as well as the 1922 film that inspired it, is unfamiliar to most. Born out of a nation reeling from the horrors of the First World War, German Expressionism abandoned realist art, prioritising individual interpretation over objectivity. It was a movement which reinvented cinema, introduced t

When thinking about the question of what British national identity is, I was struck by a quote from historian Peter Mandler, which stated, “it may be that the ‘crisis’ of national identity is […] closely related to a crisis of politics”. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries both the idea of ‘Britain’ itself, and its political climate was (and is) ever changing. With the devolution of Scotland and Wales in 1997, and Northern Ireland in 1999, the four nations have grown apart