History Today

Jonathan Fenby on the long history behind the rapid demise of one of the brightest lights in China’s political firmament.

Chris Millington says we shouldn’t be surprised by the Front national’s show of strength in the recent French elections.

Margaret Thatcher became Britain's first female Prime Minister on May 4th, 1979. Some other firsts claimed by those occupying the country's highest office.

Mihir Bose asks why sport has become so central to modern culture.

Britain and the United States may have been on the same side during the Second World War, but cinematic representations of the conflict could stir controversy between them, as Jeffrey Richards explains.

In 1729 a young entrepreneur, Jonathan Tyers, took over the failing management of the pleasure gardens at Vauxhall. During his long tenure he was able to make it a resounding success, as David Coke  explains.

Derek Wilson looks at the life of a French princess, who married and helped depose an English king during a tumultuous period of Anglo-French relations that was to end in the Hundred Years War.

Chairman Mao photographed attempting to swim the River Yangtze in July 1966.

Modern dance was born with the premiere of L'apres-midi d'un faune on May 29th, 1912.

The Antipodean reformer died on May 16th, 1862.