"'Well-researched and enthralling, Peter Ricketts brings the wartime Foreign Office to life.' - Tim Bouverie
'The gripping story of how the men and women of the Foreign Office secured Britain's victory in the Second World War and created a new international order.' - Professor Helen McCarthy
Discover the untold story of the British diplomats who shaped WWII-and the peace that followed-in this vivid exploration of a transformative moment in modern history.
While military exploits and Churchill's leadership dominate history books, Peace Makers reveals how the men and women of the Foreign Office forged alliances, supported resistance movements, managed refugee crises, and laid the groundwork for the post-war international order.
From the rooftops of Whitehall during the Blitz to embassies under siege across Europe and Asia, diplomats and their families demonstrated extraordinary resilience and ingenuity. They evacuated civilians, backed resistance networks, gathered intelligence, and waged battles of persuasion. Some endured years apart from home; others, like staff in Tokyo, survived internment. Figures such as Archibald Clark Kerr in Moscow and Sir Alexander Cadogan in London steered critical alliances and helped shape the world to come.
Peace Makers also explores how the war transformed the Foreign Office itself, sweeping away the barriers that had kept women out of top jobs. Through vivid portraits of pioneers like Freya Stark, Nancy Lambton, and Elizabeth Wiskemann, you'll learn how women began to rise to senior diplomatic ranks. It also features the first published account from the only surviving member of the wartime Foreign Office, who shares her extraordinary story of travelling with Anthony Eden to the great wartime Summits.
Peace Makers brings these stories together in a compelling narrative that blends fresh research with vivid storytelling. It offers a new lens on the war-one that highlights diplomacy as a frontline force and reveals how its legacy continues to shape our world.
This is essential reading for anyone interested in history, international affairs or the human stories behind global change.
'A fascinating account of how the Foreign Office helped turned wartime victory into postwar peace.' - Professor David Reynolds
'Places the dedicated men and women in the British Foreign Office in the pantheon of WWIl heroes.' - Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell
'Who better than a former Permanent Secretary to take us on a riveting tour of the Foreign Office at war?' - Professor Peter Hennessy
'A fascinating account of the ingenuity and courage required of diplomats in wartime.' - Lord Hague
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"A groundbreaking exploration of the difficult decisions Britain faces outside the EU in a fast-changing world.
After decades of peace and prosperity, the international order put in place after World War II is rapidly coming to an end. Disastrous foreign wars, global recession, the meteoric rise of China and India and the COVID pandemic have undermined the power of the West's international institutions and unleashed the forces of nationalism and protectionism.
In this lucid and groundbreaking analysis, one of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats highlights the key dilemmas Britain faces, from trade to security, arguing that international co-operation and solidarity are the surest ways to prosper in a world more dangerous than ever.
“Peter Ricketts has used his experience as one of the best diplomats of his generation to produce a book that is magisterial in its scope and analysis -- and in its recommendations for how the UK can use the realities of the post-Brexit era to its advantage. Essential reading for all who care about Britain's position in the world.” JACK STRAW, former Foreign Secretary
“A clarion call for a post-Brexit national conversation and a new national strategy. Written with grace and clarity, Hard Choices is a book for every informed citizen concerned for Britain's future in a dangerous and unpredictable world.” VERNON BOGDANOR, CBE FBA, Professor of Government, King's College, London"
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