Abstract

Lord Franks was an exceedingly deliberate man who, paradoxically, embarked upon his various careers--as don, mandarin, diplomat, banker, provost, pillar of state--almost by accident. A moral philosopher by training and inclination, Franks had a hand in the making of both war and peace in the middle decades of the twentieth century. He secured Marshal Aid for Europe's post-war recovery program. He had a major role in negotiating the North Atlantic Treaty. Later, he was responsible for several unusually influential offical reports, including that on Oxford University in the 1960s, and most recently and controversially, on the British Government's handling of the Falklands crisis. An extensively researched and thoroughly readable study, this book looks at the life of a man who succeeded in combining great intellect and public service to a rare degree. Oliver Franks, though personally self-effacing was an immensely influential figure at the center of public life for many years.