The "Weekend Crisis" during May 1938 presents a classic case-study in the strategy pre-emption. Czechoslovak intelligence was convinced that Hitler was on the verge of ordering the invasion of their country four months before the infamous Munich Conference. In response, President Eduard Benes ordered reservists to man the frontiers expecting war. The Nazi offensive never came. Did Hitler really plan to attack Prague in May 1938? Today, the lessons of the "Weekend Crisis" are all the more important. Following 9/11 the United States adopted a strategy of national defence based on pre-emption...

Despite a common heritage dating back centuries and mutual national interests, such as their joint fear of Soviet influence across the Mediterranean, it took 38 years after the establishment of the State of Israel (1948) and a decade after Franco's death (1975) for relations to be established between Jerusalem and Madrid (1986). There was no apparent reason why both countries should not have established full diplomatic ties prior. By 1953, however, Israel began adopting a more pragmatic view. Post 1986 the ties between the two countries were overshadowed by strong international political...

Despite a common heritage dating back centuries and mutual national interests, such as their joint fear of Soviet influence across the Mediterranean, it took 38 years after the establishment of the State of Israel (1948) and a decade after Franco's death (1975) for relations to be established between Jerusalem and Madrid (1986). There was no apparent reason why both countries should not have established full diplomatic ties prior. By 1953, however, Israel began adopting a more pragmatic view. Post 1986 the ties between the two countries were overshadowed by strong international political...