European Leaders in the Cold War

Weekly series of lectures

Join us in person or watch online

This lecture series examines six European Cold War leaders, on both sides of the Iron Curtain, and re-evaluates their reputations.

You can register for individual lectures, see list below, or you can register for the entire series. (Booking the complete series offers a reduced rate compared to booking lectures individually.)

Please note: enrolments for the complete lecture series will close at 23:59 BST on 15 October 2024. Enrolments for each individual lecture will close a couple of days before each lecture.

Overview

Focusing on relations with the Soviet Union, the United States and fellow European powers, this lecture series examines the development of Cold War history through the eyes of six prominent and long-serving European leaders. Three were elected leaders in democracies, two were Communist party bosses, and one was a former Axis sympathiser who embraced a pro-NATO foreign policy. To what extent did their respective foreign policies succeed or fail? To provide the answers is the quest of this series of lectures.

About the lecturer

Dr Martin Holmes is a member of the Senior Common Room at St Hugh’s College, where he was previously Lecturer in Politics for over 20 years. Additionally, he has been Director of the annual Nebraska at Oxford summer programme since 1989. For the Department, he has taught several syllabi on our Foundations of Diplomacy pre-master's course over the past decade, as well as guest lectures for the Diplomatic Studies Programme. A strong supporter of lifelong education, he has also been a regular lecturer for the University of the Third Age (U3A).

A specialist in International Relations and European Integration, he is the author of seven books. His latest publication, a diplomatic history of 20th century Europe, was published by Routledge in August: From the Treaty of Versailles to the Treaty of Maastricht: Conflict, carnage and cooperation in Europe 1918 – 93.