The Foreign Office And British Diplomacy In The Twentieth Century

This book examines the evolution of the Foreign Office in the twentieth century and the way in which it has responded to Britain's changing role in international affairs. The last century was one of unprecedented change in the way foreign policy and diplomacy were conducted. The work of 'the Office' expanded enormously in the twentieth century, and oversaw the transition from Empire to Commonwealth, with the merger of the Foreign and Colonial Office taking place in the 1960s. The book focuses on the challenges posed by waging world war and the process of peacemaking, as well as the diplomatic gridlock of the Cold War. Contributions also discusses ways in which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to modernise to meet the challenges of diplomacy in the twenty-first century. This is a special issue of the journal "Contemporary British History."