Based entirely on unpublished primary sources, this remarkable book -the first authoritative history of modern Tibet - is also the first to provide detailed accounts of: The covert political manoeuverings in Tibet and the role of the Tibetan, Chinese and British governments; The Dalai Lama's escape in 1959; The CIA's involvement and the establishment of a secret military base in the Nepalese Himalayas; The British government lying to the UN and Douglas Hurd's role in that process; The power struggles during th Cultural Revolution and the mass uprising against the Chinese that has remained secret until now.