History

List of History articles

nonalignment-george-wylesol-illustration-site
nonalignment-george-wylesol-illustration-site

Is Nonalignment Such a Big Deal?

Here’s what neutrality means in the 21st century.

A row of statues of German political thinker Karl Marx.
A row of statues of German political thinker Karl Marx.

Gen Z Has Finally Found Its Karl Marx

The German philosopher’s “Grundrisse” is an indispensable guide to our current chaos—from AI to the rise of China.

An undated pencil drawing depicts work on a sugar plantation in the West Indies. Black children are among the laborers working to chop sugar cane under the watchful eye of a suited white overseer wearing a hat.
An undated pencil drawing depicts work on a sugar plantation in the West Indies. Black children are among the laborers working to chop sugar cane under the watchful eye of a suited white overseer wearing a hat.

Sugar as Modern Capitalism’s Original Sin

A new book shows its history as anything but sweet.

Sunbathers under umbrellas line the beach with sailboats dotting the sea behind them in Cannes, France, on Sept. 1, 1948.
Sunbathers under umbrellas line the beach with sailboats dotting the sea behind them in Cannes, France, on Sept. 1, 1948.

How the French Riviera Got Its Glitz

Long before the Cannes Film Festival, a new book shows, the Côte d’Azur built a brand on flaunting affluence.

An illustration showing Cleopatra from the new Netflix documentary series "Queen Cleopatra," played by Black British actress Adele James.
An illustration showing Cleopatra from the new Netflix documentary series "Queen Cleopatra," played by Black British actress Adele James.

Why Netflix’s ‘Queen Cleopatra’ Has Egypt up in Arms

Western leaders and filmmakers have long denied the link between modern Egypt and its ancient heritage.

Paramilitary police officers march past the portrait of communist leader Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate
Paramilitary police officers march past the portrait of communist leader Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate

Mao’s Legacy Is a Dangerous Topic in China

Discussing the Cultural Revolution has become increasingly risky.

-books-six-1
-books-six-1

6 Books That Explain Turkey

FP contributors’ top titles to make sense of the country ahead of its most important election

On Savage Shores: How Native Americans Discovered Europe, Caroline Dodds Pennock, Knopf, 320 pp., $32.50, January 2023
On Savage Shores: How Native Americans Discovered Europe, Caroline Dodds Pennock, Knopf, 320 pp., $32.50, January 2023

Who Can Tell Native Stories?

A new book on Natives journeying across the Atlantic reaches the outer limits of what European-style academic research can accomplish.

An illustration shows Turkish President Erdogan waving against a Turkish flag background.
An illustration shows Turkish President Erdogan waving against a Turkish flag background.

What Happens When a Turkish President Loses an Election? No One Knows.

Erdogan has few role models for how to peacefully concede power.

Then- U.S. President Ronald Reagan speaks with Secretary of State George Shultz in the White House's Oval Office
Then- U.S. President Ronald Reagan speaks with Secretary of State George Shultz in the White House's Oval Office

How George Shultz Helped End the Cold War

The official biography of Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state reveals startling lessons for U.S. engagement today.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a Q&A session with local business leaders during a visit to Coca-Cola HBC in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a Q&A session with local business leaders during a visit to Coca-Cola HBC in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Why Rishi Sunak’s Northern Ireland Deal Will Fail

London can please either Brussels or Belfast. It’s choosing Brussels.

Italy's Benito Mussolini salutes during a public address circa 1938.
Italy's Benito Mussolini salutes during a public address circa 1938.

Italian Fascists Traded Their Black Shirts for Armani Suits

A new book shows how Mussolini’s political heirs have shaped the country’s identity.

Yang Geum-deok (2nd from left), a South Korean victim of Japan's wartime forced labor, and former South Korean "comfort woman" Lee Yong-soo (2nd from right), who was forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II, attend an anti-Japanese rally to mark the 104th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement Day against Japanese colonial rule, in Seoul.
Yang Geum-deok (2nd from left), a South Korean victim of Japan's wartime forced labor, and former South Korean "comfort woman" Lee Yong-soo (2nd from right), who was forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II, attend an anti-Japanese rally to mark the 104th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement Day against Japanese colonial rule, in Seoul.

The South Korea-Japan Forced Labor Deal Is a Shambles

Washington should stop trying to force Seoul and Tokyo together.

Israeli police confront protesters during ongoing demonstrations in Tel Aviv on March 23, against controversial legal reforms being touted by the country's hard-right government. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images
Israeli police confront protesters during ongoing demonstrations in Tel Aviv on March 23, against controversial legal reforms being touted by the country's hard-right government. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

What America’s Civil War Can Teach Us About Israel’s

Israeli protesters may not realize it yet, but the only way they can protect their own rights and democracy is by allying with Palestinians.

A Russian T-80 tank in Ukraine’s Donbas region on March 11.
A Russian T-80 tank in Ukraine’s Donbas region on March 11.

A Tank by Any Other Name

The naming conventions vary—but the strength and speed remain the same.

Masks photographed in a studio
Masks photographed in a studio

Face Masks Are Our COVID-19 Memorial

America’s remaining maskers are a living emblem of a lost war.

A photograph is seen near the memorial commemorating the Jedwabne pogrom in Jedwabne, Poland on July 29, 2021.
A photograph is seen near the memorial commemorating the Jedwabne pogrom in Jedwabne, Poland on July 29, 2021.

How Poland Distorts Its Holocaust History

The Polish government’s ongoing war on historians documenting Poles’ complicity in massacres has led to a politically motivated distortion of the past.

Rep. Mike Gallagher presides over the first hearing of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party in Washington on Feb. 28.
Rep. Mike Gallagher presides over the first hearing of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party in Washington on Feb. 28.

The Real Risk of the China Select Committee

Why alienate the very people whose expertise and connections might help Congress understand the Chinese government?

Russia's assault on the South Caucasus in the 19th century
Russia's assault on the South Caucasus in the 19th century

How the World Forgot About Russian Imperialism

And why recovering this history matters for understanding the war in Ukraine.

Three swords were handed over to the Ukrainian government in Washington.
Three swords were handed over to the Ukrainian government in Washington.

Ukraine’s Newest Weapons Shipment Is From 300 B.C.

An embassy event celebrates the seizure of ancient swords from a would-be Russian smuggler.

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