Dr Michael Hopkins is Senior Lecturer in History at Liverpool Hope University, and has written widely on British and Cold War History, many of his acticles appearing in the journals Intellgience and National Security, Contemporary British History and Cold War History.

• Part 1 The ambassador, the embassy and the Anglo-American relationship: individuals and institutions; postwar relations; new ambassador. Part 2 Establishing a reputation: first impressions; Cold War allies. Part 3 Achievements: Dean Acheson; devaluation of the pound; part of the European queue or special partners?; the Korean war. Part 4 Difficulties: Anglo-American tensions; a new foreign secretary. Part 5 The return of the conservatives: working with Churchill and Eden; epilogue - end of a mission; conclusion.