Greatest lies in history, the

This book is about lies and their consequences. Many great pinnacles of human achievement are inextricably linked to shameless untruths; deceptions have played a major part in shaping the course of history and the destiny of nations. Lies have been used to justify wars, to acquire weapons, slaves, fire, food, gold, land, women, men, livestock and industrial secrets. Lies have been told to impose the ideology or religion of one person, or group of people, on the rest of humankind. This book examines specific episodes in history to identify the reasons why politicians, religious leaders, and others have supported some of the most outrageous lies. Analytical in approach, it examines the lie, the official truth, the historical evidence and the legacy of the lie. Case studies include the true story of the fate of the prisoners of the Bastille in the French Revolution; the deliberate damage done to King Richard III's reputation by his Tudor successors; serious questioning of the traditional justification of D-Day in World War II; and many more.