In Day of the Assassins, acclaimed historian Michael Burleigh explores the many facets of political assassination. He explains the role of historical precedent, why it is more frequent in certain types of society than others. The author asks if assassination can either bring about change, or prevent it, and whether, like a contagious disease, political murder can be catching.
He focuses on the last century and a half,.
Burleigh takes readers to the Congo, India, Iran, Laos, Rwanda and South Africa and revisits notable assassinations in Europe, Russia, Israel and the United States.
The sub-title of the book is A History of Political Murder.