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Books > History > Asian / Middle Eastern history > General
Few gave tiny Singapore much chance of survival when it was granted
independence in 1965. How is it, then, that today the former
British colonial trading post is a thriving Asian metropolis with
not only the world's number one airline, best airport, and busiest
port of trade, but also the world's fourth-highest per capita real
income? The story of that transformation is told here by
Singapore's charismatic, controversial founding father, Lee Kuan
Yew. Rising from a legacy of divisive colonialism, the devastation
of the Second World War, and general poverty and disorder following
the withdrawal of foreign forces, Singapore now is hailed as a city
of the future. This miraculous history is dramatically recounted by
the man who not only lived through it all but who fearlessly forged
ahead and brought about most of these changes. Mr. Lee is one of
the most respected political figures in the world today ("Time" and
"Newsweek" regularly profile his socio-economic strategies and his
regime), and recognition of his name among academic, political,
historical and sociological circles is guaranteed. This volume also
features a foreword from Dr. Henry Kissinger.
The Israeli settler movement plays a key role in Israeli politics
and the Arab-Israeli conflict, yet very few empirical studies of
the movement exist. This is the first in-depth examination of the
contemporary Israeli settler movement from a structural (rather
than purely historical or political) perspective, and one of the
few studies to focus on a longstanding, radical right-wing social
movement in a non-western political context. A trailblazing
systematic assessment of the role of the settler movement in
Israeli politics writ large, as well as in relation to Israel's
policy towards the West Bank, this book analyzes the movement both
as a whole and as a combination of its parts (i.e. branches) -
institutions, networks, and individuals. Whether you are a student,
researcher, or policymaker, this book offers a comprehensive and
original theoretical framework alongside a rich empirical analysis
which illuminates social movements in general, and the Israeli
settler movement in particular.
Britain’s best-selling historian writes the first definitive account of
the famous televised SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in
1980
On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian
embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they
took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British
citizens. A tense six-day siege ensued as millions gathered around
screens across the country to witness the longest news flash in British
television history, in which police negotiators and psychiatrists
sought a bloodless end to the standoff, while the SAS – hitherto an
organisation shrouded in secrecy – laid plans for a daring rescue
mission: Operation Nimrod.
Drawing on unpublished source material, exclusive interviews with the
SAS, and testimony from witnesses including hostages, negotiators,
intelligence officers and the on-site psychiatrist, bestselling
historian Ben Macintyre takes readers on a gripping journey from the
years and weeks of build-up on both sides, to the minute-by-minute
account of the siege and rescue.
Recreating the dramatic conversations between negotiators and hostages,
the cutting-edge intelligence work happening behind-the-scenes, and the
media frenzy around this moment of international significance, The
Siege is the remarkable story of what really happened on those fateful
six days, and the first full account of a moment that forever changed
the way the nation thought about the SAS – and itself.
To understand the turnaround in Spain's stance towards Japan during
World War II, this book goes beyond mutual contacts and explains
through images, representations, and racism why Madrid aimed at
declaring war on Japan but not against the III Reich -as London
ironically replied when it learned of Spain's warmongering against
one of the Axis members.
'The Art of War' is as relevant to today's warriors in business,
politics, and everyday life as it once was to the warlords of
ancient China. It is one of the most useful books ever written on
leading with wisdom, an essential tool for modern corporate
warriors battling to gain the advantage in the boardroom, and for
anyone struggling to gain the upper hand in confrontations and
competitions.
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