History Events
On the Edge of the Cold War: American Diplomats and Spies in Postwar Europe
January 23, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:30pm
European Studies
Drawing on archival documents and testimonies of high-ranking American diplomats and intelligence officers, "On the Edge of the Cold War" explores the postwar political crisis in former Czechoslovakia from the perspective of the U.S. Embassy under Laurence Steinhardt and of U.S. Intelligence under Charles Katek and Spencer Taggart. The book paints a critical portrait of Ambassador Steinhardt, and shows that his groundless optimism caused Washington to ignore signs that democracy in Czechoslovakia was in trouble.
Was the Mexican Revolution of 1910 a Success?
December 10, 2012 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
History and Public Policy Program
The Mexican Revolution of 1910 had dramatic effects on both Mexico and the United States that have endured to the present day. This presentation deals with its armed phase (1910-1920) and its institutional, reformist, and state-building phase (c.1920–c.1940), as well as its longer-term legacy.
Woodrow Wilson and Syngman Rhee
December 06, 2012 // 2:00pm — 3:30pm
North Korea International Documentation Project
Co-sponsored by the Syngman Rhee Institute at Yonsei University, "Woodrow Wilson and Syngman Rhee" seeks to address the Wilsonian legacy in Korea and marks the beginning of a partnership between the Wilson Center and the Syngman Rhee Institute which will result in the digitization and dissemination of the presidential papers of former South Korean president Syngman Rhee.
Andreas Papandreou: The Making of a Greek Democrat and Political Maverick
December 03, 2012 // 12:00pm — 1:30pm
European Studies
Greece in the 1960s produced one of Europe's arguably most controversial post-WWII politicians. Andreas Papandreou’s maverick politics grew out of his conflict laden re-engagement with Greece in the 1960s. In this biography of Andreas Papandreou, the author Stan Draenos chronicles the events, struggles and ideas that defined the man's dramatic, intrigue-filled transformation from Kennedy-era modernizer to Cold War maverick.
Nuclear Statecraft: History and Strategy in America’s Atomic Age
November 29, 2012 // 3:30pm — 5:00pm
International Security Studies
We are at a critical juncture in world politics. Nuclear strategy and policy have risen to the top of the global policy agenda, and issues ranging from a nuclear Iran to the global zero movement are generating sharp debate. The historical origins of our contemporary nuclear world are deeply consequential for contemporary policy, but it is crucial that decisions are made on the basis of fact rather than myth and misapprehension. In Nuclear Statecraft, Francis J. Gavin challenges key elements of the widely accepted narrative about the history of the atomic age and the consequences of the nuclear revolution.
Regional Dynamics and Inter-Korean Relations, Past and Present
November 27, 2012 // 10:30am — 4:30pm
North Korea International Documentation Project
Supported by the Korean Ministry of Unification, "Regional Dynamics and Inter-Korean Relations, Past and Present" seeks to bring a broader historical perspective to current issues affecting inter-Korean relations by conveying the importance of deep historical continuities on the Korean Peninsula.
Leak: How (and Why) Mark Felt Became Deep Throat
November 26, 2012 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
History and Public Policy Program
Deep Throat, the most fabled secret source in American history, was regarded for decades as a conscientious but highly secretive whistleblower who shunned the limelight. But when the FBI’s former no. 2 executive, W. Mark Felt, came forward in 2005 to claim the mantle, questions about his true motivation began to be raised. Max Holland will discuss the Deep Throat puzzle, revealing for the first time in detail why Mark Felt leaked and his inadvertent place in history. In the process, Holland will lay bare the complex and often-problematic relationship that exists between the Washington press corps and federal officials.
The Life of a Vilna Ghetto Rescuer: Reading, Writing, Remembering
November 26, 2012 // 2:30pm — 3:30pm
European Studies
Julija Šukys, author of Epistolophilia: Writing the Life of Ona Šimaitė, carefully collected, preserved, and archived the written record of the life of Ona Šimaitė. Šimaitė, a librarian at Vilnius University, used her position to aid and rescue Jews in the Vilna Ghetto.
The Remarkable Past and Present Fate of UNESCO
November 19, 2012 // 4:00pm — 5:30pm
History and Public Policy Program
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural, and Communications Organization (UNESCO) grew from seeds planted during World War II and enjoyed bipartisan Congressional support as it joined the UN family in the 1940s. But controversy overtook it; the United States withdrew by 1984. It re-entered nearly twenty years later, but objecting to the agency’s 2011 vote to admit the Palestinian Authority, it began extracting itself once again. Barring a political miracle, the United States will assume observer status by this time next year. What will be the consequences?
Twenty Years of Independence: Reflections on Freedom and Democracy
November 16, 2012 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
European Studies
This Director's Forum will feature Martin Bútora, Honorary President of the Institute for Public Affairs in Bratislava and former Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States (1999-2003). Ambassador Bútora will deliver the keynote address at the 13th annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture.