History
The Collapse Narrative: The United States, Mohammed Mossadegh, and the Coup Decision of 1953
On Aug. 19, 1953, elements inside Iran organized and funded by the Central Intelligence Agency and British intelligence services carried out a coup d’état that overthrew the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh. Historians have yet to reach a…
Raison d’Etat: Richelieu’s Grand Strategy During the Thirty Years’ War
Renowned for his fierce intellect, mastery of the dark arts of propaganda, and unshakeable belief in the centralizing virtues of the French monarchy, Cardinal Richelieu’s actions as chief minister under Louis XIII from 1624 to 1642 have been heatedly debated…
When Do Leaders Change Course? Theories of Success and the American Withdrawal from Beirut, 1983–1984
Why did the United States withdraw from Lebanon in February 1984? How did new information shape policymakers’ proposals to expand, maintain, or terminate the intervention? Drawing upon declassified records, we challenge the conventional narrative that the…