Diplomacy
A Century Ago, a Mob Brutally Attacked an American Diplomat in Persia. His Death Shaped U.S.-Iran Relations for Decades
The July 1924 killing of Robert Imbrie fueled the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty and set the stage for both a CIA-backed 1953 coup and the 1979 Iran hostage crisis
This Decorated Samurai Sword Found in Rubble Beneath Berlin May Have Been a Diplomatic Gift
The short blade’s hilt was made in Edo Japan, and its journey to a German cellar destroyed during World War II is a mystery
During World War II, the Liberation of Paris Saved the French Capital From Destruction
Adolf Hitler wanted Paris razed. Dwight D. Eisenhower wanted his troops to stay out of the city. In August 1944, an uprising by French resistance fighters forced the Allies to intervene
At the 1960 Olympics, American Athletes Recruited by the CIA Tried to Convince Their Soviet Peers to Defect
Al Cantello, a star of the U.S. track and field team, arranged a covert meeting between a government agent and a Ukrainian long jumper
Tired of Diplomacy as Usual, This Congressman Flew Solo to Promote World Peace
Representative Peter F. Mack’s soaring diplomatic ambitions made aviation history as he traveled through Europe, South Asia, Japan and then across the vast Pacific Ocean
Giant Pandas Are Coming Back to Washington, D.C.
A pair of the bears will arrive at the Smithsonian's National Zoo by the end of 2024
Why the Wartime Rescue of the Survivors of a British Shipwreck Ended in Betrayal
In 1813, an American sealing vessel, the "Nanina," promised to save the crew and passengers of the "Isabella," even though it was an enemy ship. Here’s how the British brig got stranded in the first place
The Real Story Behind Apple TV+'s 'Franklin'
A new limited series starring Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin revisits the founding father's years as the American ambassador to France
The Moroccan Sultan Who Protected His Country's Jews During World War II
Mohammed V defied the collaborationist Vichy regime, saving Morocco's 250,000 Jews from deportation to Nazi death camps
The Real History Behind FX's 'Shogun'
A new adaptation offers a fresh take on James Clavell's 1975 novel, which fictionalizes the stories of English sailor William Adams, shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and Japanese noblewoman Hosokawa Gracia
More Giant Pandas Are Coming to the U.S. in a New Loan From China
China plans to send a male and a female panda to the San Diego Zoo as early as this summer, and negotiations are underway for pandas' possible return to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
The American Soldier Whose Fear of Fighting in Vietnam Led Him to Defect to North Korea. He Stayed There for 40 Years
During his time in the repressive country, Charles Robert Jenkins married a Japanese abductee, taught English at a school and appeared in propaganda films
The National Zoo's Giant Pandas Bid Washington, D.C. Farewell
The three beloved bears will depart for China later today, traveling in style on a FedEx cargo plane
Revisit 51 Years of Giant Pandas at the National Zoo, From Beloved Babies to Fun in the Snow
The Panda House's eight occupants have played a key role in conservation efforts over the decades
Why the National Zoo Is Saying Goodbye to Its Giant Pandas
Staff remain hopeful that members of the threatened species will be back in Washington in the near future
The Baseball Player-Turned-Spy Who Went Undercover to Assassinate the Nazis' Top Nuclear Scientist
During World War II, the OSS sent Moe Berg to Europe, where he gathered intel on Germany's efforts to build an atomic bomb
The Real History Behind the 'Golda' Movie
A new film explores how Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir navigated the 1973 Yom Kippur War
How an English Exile Ended Up at the Court of Genghis Khan's Grandson
After leaving his home country in the early 13th century, the Englishman traveled to the Crusader states and served as an envoy of the Mongol Empire
Enslaved by George Washington, This Man Escaped to Freedom—and Joined the British Army
Harry Washington fought for his enslaver's enemy during the American Revolution. Later, he migrated to Nova Scotia and Sierra Leone
The Shipwrecked Teenager Who Helped End Japan's Isolationist Era
Rescued by an American sea captain, Manjiro spent time abroad before returning home, where he was valued for his expertise but never fully trusted
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