Since 1943, during war, humanitarian and natural disasters, and flashpoints of global tension, one government department has been charged with the critical role of representing New Zealand's interests overseas. In doing so, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (and its predecessors) has needed to respond to ever-evolving political and military allegiances, trade globalization, economic threats, natural disasters, and military conflict on behalf of a small nation that seeks to engage on the global stage while maintaining the principles that underpin its political institutions. For more than 75 years the ministry has been served by some remarkable people, dedicated to an organization that has reflected New Zealand's developing sense of nationhood and place in world. This history of the foreign service, edited by one of New Zealand's foremost historians, captures the high stakes, skill, and intelligence involved in the development of a unique organization.

This is Gerald McGhie'sfascinating and insightful account of some of the highlights of almost 40 years service as a New Zealand diplomat - most notably in the Soviet Union - twice - first during the Brezhnev years of the Cold War; and second from 1990 when he witnessed the dramatic events that led to the fall of Gorbachev, the rise of Boris Yeltsin and the collapse of the Soviet Union, which saw him become New Zealand's last Ambassador to the Soviet Union and first to Russia. McGhie worked in Samoa earlier - shortly before independence in the 1960s, and later in Papua New Guinea. The author also presents a snapshot of the activities of a Wellington-based foreign service officer during the period he worked closely with the Foreign Minister on the sporting-contact issue in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games in 1990. He also provides a personal perspective on New Zealand's foreign policy inthe modern era.

Over 20,000 ethnic Russians migrated to Australia after World War II – yet we know very little about their experiences. Some came via China, others from refugee camps in Europe. Many preferred to keep a low profile in Australia, and some attempted to ‘pass’ as Polish, West Ukrainian or Yugoslavian. They had good reason to do so: to the Soviet Union, Australia’s resettling of Russians amounted to the theft of its citizens, and undercover agents were deployed to persuade them to repatriate. Australia regarded the newcomers with wary suspicion, even as it sought to build its population by opening its door to more immigrants. Making extensive use of newly discovered Russian-language archives and drawing on a lifetime’s study of Soviet history and politics, award-winning author Sheila Fitzpatrick examines the early years of a diverse and disunited Russian-Australian community and how Australian and Soviet intelligence agencies attempted to track and influence them. While anti-Communist ‘White’ Russians dreamed a war of liberation would overthrow the Soviet regime, a dissident minority admired its achievements and thought of returning home.

From one of America's preeminent historians comes a magisterial study of the development of open societies focusing on the United States and New Zealand

SCOTT (copy 2: v. 1): From the John Holmes Library collection.

From an array of intellectual reference points, Stephanson (history, Rutgers U.) has written a serious assessment of this complicated, often controversial, highly respected American policymaker. A work of general significance for a wide range of contemporary issues in foreign and domestic politics a

From independence in 1965, Singapore has experienced a meteoric rise to a modern developed city-state. What is less known is the part played by its foreign policy or by the men and women who contributed to its implementation and success. Here, several of Singapore's senior diplomats and Ambassadors tell in their own words, how they did their work, their experiences, their achievements and the challenges that they faced in promoting and safeguarding Singapore's strategic security and economic interests.